Today's Scripture
The Perfect Gift 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
6 The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. 9 As it is written,
“He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us;
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time on and forevermore.
RJ's Devotion
What Does the Passage Say?
V. 6-8 Paul reminds the followers that our giving for the mission of God needs to be done voluntarily.
V. 8-9 However, he also mentions how giving leads us to experience God, as our true provider.
V. 10-12 When God provides our thanksgiving overflows to extend to others, who are in need.
What Does the passage Mean to Me/US?
The passage we read is Paul’s exhortation for the followers to join the collection to support the church in Jerusalem.
We, as God’s people, are called to be generous when we see the purpose of God, reaching out to the world.
When we become part of God’s mission, we shouldn’t do it reluctantly, because it is a way for us to see how God truly provides.
The Message Bible says, “He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God” (v. 9-11 The Message).
We are able to share life when we give.
I have stumbled upon this saying from David Ramsey’s blog, while he talks about tithing.
And I think it has a lot of wisdom for us.
‘We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.’
Are you a cheerful giver, who experience God providing?
Prayer
Lord, we want to become a cheerful giver for your mission that brings life. Become our true Lord. In Christ Name, we pray, AMEN.
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