If you read my blog a few weeks back, God was walking me into the reality of living as a broken vessel. If you didn’t catch that blog, go back and take a read! (The Cycle Of Death That Brings Life; Dying To Myself)
God had gently reminded me that I can’t love enough. I can’t encourage enough, I can’t give enough, I can’t serve enough, I can’t pray for people enough. This world is so desperate for hope and for truth. The world today is starving for it.
And He continues to teach me I have more to give. I need to continually be made aware of my flesh because it is way too easy to give into it; to feel entitled, when I’ve taken the trash out more than twice…it’s someone else turn. Or when I’ve served all week in ministry, Saturday becomes my day.
I’m currently reading The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer and I think He reveals the painful depth of our hearts of idolatry and entitlement to self well when He writes:
“The pronouns “my” and “mine” look innocent enough in print, but their constant and universal use is significant. They express the real nature of the old Adamic man better than a thousand volumes of theology could do. They are verbal symptoms of our deep disease.”
What I’m experiencing more and more, is that there is literally no better feeling than giving after I’ve felt like I can’t give anymore because that’s when the Spirit comes alive and well… we were designed to dwell in His manifestation. So when we actually do that’s where we’re able to feel most alive. A beautiful thing really, but something the enemy is so good at keeping us away from. It’s a feat to break away from our flesh.
There is a beautiful thread of stories woven throughout the word of God, showing that God delights when we give whatever we have. I want you encourage you, in knowing that whatever place you find yourself in, whatever the circumstances, the season, you have something pleasing to give away to the people around you, and to the kingdom of God. It doesn’t matter what freedom you are or aren’t walking in, nor does it matter how broken you are or are not. It doesn’t matter how much money is in your bank account or how involved you aren’t in a local church.
In Luke 21, a poor widow drops her 2 copper coins into the offering box after the rich had put many gifts.. Jesus speaks to His disciples after seeing this saying “Truly I tell you; this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they have all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty, put in all she had to live on”
It’s never actually about the monetary amount we give, but about what the amount we give reveals of our hearts. God may not ask you or I to give away all of our savings, but I am confident He does asks us to give enough away to reveal the trust in our hearts we have in Him as our Father and provider.
In 1 Kings 18 there is a story of the god of Baal going up against the Lord our God, to prove who is the God. Each is prepared a bulls meat and whichever god is able to set it on fire, is suppose to be the true God. Obviously Baal is unable, even after his people shed their own blood. Elijah then prepares an altar to lay the bulls meat on. He gathers wood and then asks the people to pour out water on the wood. This is significant because the people were in a severe drought, they had been for years. So to pour out any water was a serious sacrifice. Even more, what water they had, I am guessing was their drinking water; carried up the mountain to have for the duration of this show-down of the gods. And they were asked to pour it out…
On wood that was suppose to then be consumed with flames. What purpose was the water, I would question, in fear, if I was them.
I don’t think it was actually about the water.I think God was asking them to pour out what was theirs, for Him. To pour out what drops they had left. In worship, in sacrifice to Him. Trusting that if they gave everything they had, He would give them more.
(Spoiler alert- He does, He brings RAIN. Something they hadn’t received in years.)
And doesn’t He ask the same of us? When we think we’ve got no more to give, when we really don’t…He says you have more to give, it’s all you have left but pour it out…every last drop…
This story is amazing because it teaches us that no matter what we lack no matter what desert season we’ve been in; we’re equip to still sacrifice and to still worship and God WILL respond.
In Matthew 14 Jesus feeds the 5,000. This event immediately follows the news Jesus and His disciples received that their friend John the Baptist was dead. Jesus had withdrawn, to mourn we can assume. But news had spread, as it always did, and the multitudes found Jesus there. By nightfall the disciples were tired, done, ready to check out and have some alone time. Time to feel the hurt and loss of their friend. They tried to convince Jesus to send the people away, saying ‘they must be hungry, send them so they may go find food for themselves in the villages’
Jesus we know replies ‘No they don’t need to leave, we will feed them’
The disciples argue “We have only five loaves and 2 fish…”
We all know the story, a miracle precedes to unfold from their very hands.
See again, Jesus asked them to give what they had. They only had five loaves and 2 fish. Yet when they gave up the little, the only, that they had into the hands of Jesus, He multiplied it and the multitudes were fed.
I like this story because it teaches us that though we may be in our own pain, it doesn’t disqualify us from helping someone else in theirs. In fact our pain often times is the platform God gives us to love someone going through their own. The disciples and Jesus Himself had room and reason to feel entitled, they honestly deserved, time away. To stop serving and giving, healing and feeding. But they didn’t. And because they didn’t. Thousands of people encountered the love of the Father. It never relents.
God only ever asks us to give what we have today. For tomorrow will take care of itself.
So the questions I’m left with today, and everyday after now, are…
What is my only? What are my 2 copper coins?
What are yours?
