Meditation on Giving
January 1st, 2012 A MEDITATION ON GIVING
as given by Althea Dorman at a Vestry Meeting
Be dedicated to the Lord. In all your doings, with all your talents, and with your very lifestyle, may you always seek to glorify the Lord. In the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
From Proverbs 3:9-10 – “Honour the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”
From Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure — pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”
From Philippians 4:15, 17 – “…not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except only you… Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account.”
And from II Corinthians 9:10,11 – “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness, and make you rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.”
Charles L. Allen, in his book All Things Are Possible Through Prayer, says “I speak often to people about tithing because I believe that is one of the finest ways to prove our faith in God. He said, ‘Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse…and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.’ (Malachi 3:10)
“But a lot of people don’t believe God can keep that promise. Their God is not even as big as ten per cent of their income. How big is your God? Big enough to supply all your needs? Or must you worry all the joy out of living today because of what might happen tomorrow?”
And in an article in the The Anglican Digest The Rev. Ted Schroeder of Amelia Chapel, Georgia has this to say: “Christian stewardship is different from raising money for charity. The goal of secular fund raising is dollars for a worthy cause. The goal of Christian stewardship is the faithful management of all that God gives so that God can use our gifts to transform us spiritually and to extend Christ’s transforming love to others.
“St. Paul spelled out these two goals in his lengthy definition of stewardship in II Corinthians 9:11-13.
“‘You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, people will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the Gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them, and with everyone else.’
“Jesus summed up the spiritual connection between money and God this way: ‘Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’ (Luke 12:34). Financial stewardship is treasure management that helps us escape the trap of selfishness by keeping ourselves spiritually focused on God.”
“In the parish in which I serve our focus is on the question, ‘What is God calling me (us) to do? Rather than on the question, ‘What does the parish need in order to pay its bills?’ Thus our emphasis becomes a spiritual growth experience, not a fund-raising effort.”
O God, for as much as without thee, we are not able to please thee; Grant that the working of thy mercy may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord.