COMMITED TO GIVE TO THE LORD

_“ And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.”(2 Corinthians 8:5)_

Giving comes naturally to some people. But committed giving is the privilege of even fewer people! Commitment in giving can never come through, without sacrifice and liberality. Sometime back a small congregation wanted to build a new church building for themselves. They asked the members to pledge the share they would be willing to give for the new building over the next three years.  A poor washerwoman who belonged to the church sent in her pledge card with a commitment of five thousand rupees.  The pastor and the deacons just couldn't believe she could give so much as they knew her poverty. They told her, "We know that you love the Lord and want to give for the new building but we also know that you cannot afford to give so much in three years to the building program.  We know that you wash clothes to make a living. Please do not bother!” She replied, "No, I wash in two places a day, but I've got another place I can wash.  I've turned it down because I've been so tired, but I've decided to do it for the next three years, in order to give that extra money to the building program."  Then she continued, "Don't cheat me out of this privilege!"  So she took the additional wash job and called it "the Lord's wash."  That is commitment! That is liberality! That is sacrificial giving! In today’s text, Paul exhorts the believers in Corinth with the example of the Churches in Macedonia, namely those of Philippi and Thessalonica. Their commitment to the cause of the gospel made them give even amongst their suffering, that too, with abounding liberality.

Dear friends, let us check up our payments towards God’s ministry and towards God’s people and needy brethren. Are we abounding in our giving and are we willing to give sacrificially? Are we willing to work that extra hour to earn for giving and not for saving or spending?

*PRAYER*: Almighty God, You have been so good to me and have belssed me graciously.  I thank You for all blessings. Now, extinguish my selfishness that I may give with abounding liberality towards the work of building up of Your Kingdom. Amen.