An Unexpected Intrusion
Every once in a while, I’m asked to make the announcements at church. This is coming up again shortly. I’m thinking about it. I’m making a note card so I don’t forget anything.
The last item is to thank everyone for their giving. As I wrote the word “thank,” I had an intrusive, unexpected thought. I’m on the lookout for these intruders. These whispers are shouts from God.
God said, “Don’t thank them for their giving, that’s my job. Ask my people to pray and ask Me to thank each one of them, directly and individually, for their stewardship of everything I’ve loaned them.”
This was surprising. I don’t think I’ve ever asked God to thank me. It’s always the other way around. So I prayed, God, “What is your opinion regarding my giving? Are we good?”
I don’t really like this type of prayer. The kind where you ask God what he thinks. They seem dangerous. I much prefer the prayers where I tell him what I think, or what I want.
His answer to me gave me the same feeling I remember from when I was a youngster, when my dad would respond to my best efforts with a loving combination of encouragement and challenge.
God wants us to surrender all to him so that we can experience his love and his provision.
Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23 ESV)
Only in the surrender of our ownership of everything, including ourselves, can we know for sure that it is God and not ourselves doing the providing. And in this, He is glorified, and His will can be done, and His kingdom can come in our lives, in our community, and out there in the world.
I was a Christian for quite a few years before God and I worked my situation into a situation where I could tithe. To be truthful, I didn’t have the faith to do it all at once. In my case, God blessed my family when we decided to be intentional about our giving. To put a line in the household budget spreadsheet for regular and slightly sacrificial giving. I had just enough faith to set our trajectory toward where I wanted to be. I wanted a future where I would be able to pray and believe those scriptures in Malachi for my own family. You have all heard the promise, “Bring the tithe into my storehouse, and it will be given back to you overflowing.” (Malachi 3:10) My testimony is that in the ensuing years, God has blessed us mightily. Ask me about it, and I’ll go on and on. I even wrote a book about it!
Here in The Clearing Church community, we are the sheep who are being fed by the very word and teachings of God. We know this. We can feel it. The love of God is seeping into us more and more. We are discovering and embracing Biblical truth. This is a mighty blessing.
God wants us to be generous in very specific ways. Pray and ask Him about it. Obedience unlocks blessing. God gave us a free will for a reason. Only a genuine choice is true obedience.
My hope is that you will connect more and more with the Holy Spirit in you. And as you surrender more of yourself to God each day, his love, his provision, and his kingdom will come powerfully in your lives and in this community. Even into this world. In that, you will enter into joy with your Creator.
