COMPLETE WORSHIP – PART III – GIVING OF YOUR TREASURES
Greetings again. The following devotional addresses the third aspect of complete worship -- giving. Many years ago, while studying Leviticus, particularly the laws about tithing, I was struck with the thought of what my life would look like if I actually "tithed" a portion of everything in my life, not just money. A giving back of everything God had given me -- material possessions, talents, capabilities, time, etc. It's a startling thought when you think of the details of life. In any case, hope the devotional speaks to you.
Read Luke 21:1-4
So many thoughts flooded her mind as she shuffled through the crowd on her way to the treasury. She reached up and drew her shawl closer under her chin, wishing she could disappear beneath the folds of the garment which was really little more than a rag. She glanced around, afraid of meeting the hard, sometimes condemning, eyes of the wealthy ones who had come to add their gifts to the Temple treasury. How she wished she had more to give. How she hoped that her paltry offering would not be an offense or an embarrassment to her God.
She had been alone for so long. Ten lingering years without her beloved husband. For ten years she had gazed at his favorite bench by the fire, smoothed the already smooth covers of his side of the sleeping mat. In her misery and pain, so many times she had called out to her God to deliver her from this existence. And time and again, she had experience a comfort and a Presence, even a Hand stroking her brow and holding her close. Slowly, little by little, she was trading her pain for rejoicing, trading her longing for her Jehovah.
This morning, as she once again straighten their sleeping mat and dusted that bench, she was filled with an overwhelming desire to show her Lord how much she loved and appreciated His comfort and caring of this poor, humble widow. Almost frantic she searched her meager house looking for something, anything that she could offer at the Temple which would be worthy of her Beloved Companion. Finding nothing, she took her last two copper coins from a little wooden box on the shelf. Placing her shawl over her head, she acknowledge to herself that offering up those coins meant she could buy no food for the coming days and that very possibly she might starve. But her desire to honor her Lord was stronger than any hunger she could feel and so she left, gripping those coins tightly in her hand.
As she wound her way slowly through the courtyard, still clenching those paltry, precious coins, she was surrounded by so many of high position. She approached the treasury, feeling many eyes on her. If only she could make her offering without being seen. Why did so many see her station in life as an offense? With a trembling hand, she reached out and released the small copper coins, heard their thin little clink against the collection plate. She had given all she had and now all she wished was for something more to offer, not because of those who were watching her, but because her Jehovah deserved so much more. She turned to go with tears in her eyes, and sensing the familiar comfort, she looked up and saw eyes of compassion gaze upon her. Her heart quickened at the sight of this kind Man, and as He raised his hand and gestured toward her with a slight nod, something in her recognized the Hand that had stroked her brow and held her close for so long. With her head held high, and a feeling of sweet blessing enveloping her heart, the humble widow hurried home knowing that she was no longer destitute. Rather she had received riches beyond measure, for she knew that Jehovah Himself had accepted her offering.
Food for Thought:
1. Summarize in a few short sentences the instruction you receive about giving to God from the following verses: Deuteronomy 15:10, Proverbs 25:21, Matthew 6:21, Mark 12:43 and Luke 6:38.
2. What are your greatest treasures? When and how have you given them up to God? What were the results?
3. Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. How do you see this Scripture being fulfilled in your own life right now?
Copyright © 2001 Kimberly K. Hannay
All Rights Reserved
Read Luke 21:1-4
So many thoughts flooded her mind as she shuffled through the crowd on her way to the treasury. She reached up and drew her shawl closer under her chin, wishing she could disappear beneath the folds of the garment which was really little more than a rag. She glanced around, afraid of meeting the hard, sometimes condemning, eyes of the wealthy ones who had come to add their gifts to the Temple treasury. How she wished she had more to give. How she hoped that her paltry offering would not be an offense or an embarrassment to her God.
She had been alone for so long. Ten lingering years without her beloved husband. For ten years she had gazed at his favorite bench by the fire, smoothed the already smooth covers of his side of the sleeping mat. In her misery and pain, so many times she had called out to her God to deliver her from this existence. And time and again, she had experience a comfort and a Presence, even a Hand stroking her brow and holding her close. Slowly, little by little, she was trading her pain for rejoicing, trading her longing for her Jehovah.
This morning, as she once again straighten their sleeping mat and dusted that bench, she was filled with an overwhelming desire to show her Lord how much she loved and appreciated His comfort and caring of this poor, humble widow. Almost frantic she searched her meager house looking for something, anything that she could offer at the Temple which would be worthy of her Beloved Companion. Finding nothing, she took her last two copper coins from a little wooden box on the shelf. Placing her shawl over her head, she acknowledge to herself that offering up those coins meant she could buy no food for the coming days and that very possibly she might starve. But her desire to honor her Lord was stronger than any hunger she could feel and so she left, gripping those coins tightly in her hand.
As she wound her way slowly through the courtyard, still clenching those paltry, precious coins, she was surrounded by so many of high position. She approached the treasury, feeling many eyes on her. If only she could make her offering without being seen. Why did so many see her station in life as an offense? With a trembling hand, she reached out and released the small copper coins, heard their thin little clink against the collection plate. She had given all she had and now all she wished was for something more to offer, not because of those who were watching her, but because her Jehovah deserved so much more. She turned to go with tears in her eyes, and sensing the familiar comfort, she looked up and saw eyes of compassion gaze upon her. Her heart quickened at the sight of this kind Man, and as He raised his hand and gestured toward her with a slight nod, something in her recognized the Hand that had stroked her brow and held her close for so long. With her head held high, and a feeling of sweet blessing enveloping her heart, the humble widow hurried home knowing that she was no longer destitute. Rather she had received riches beyond measure, for she knew that Jehovah Himself had accepted her offering.
Food for Thought:
1. Summarize in a few short sentences the instruction you receive about giving to God from the following verses: Deuteronomy 15:10, Proverbs 25:21, Matthew 6:21, Mark 12:43 and Luke 6:38.
2. What are your greatest treasures? When and how have you given them up to God? What were the results?
3. Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. How do you see this Scripture being fulfilled in your own life right now?
Copyright © 2001 Kimberly K. Hannay
All Rights Reserved
posted by Kim Hannay at 8:26 PM
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