Your Giving to God
In biblical Israel, there were different kinds of offerings. Besides the main five—burnt, grain, fellowship, sin, and guilt—Israel was to give specific offerings, including the trespass, peace, fellowship, freewill, wave, heave, thank, consecration, dedication, and memorial offerings, as well as offerings for the poor. Similarly, we bring different offerings to the Lord, and each kind is significant to our worship.
In the Church, our desire to give to the Lord is not a religious duty but originates instead in the heart, in response to His love. Giving expresses honor for Him in a specific way, not legalistically or religiously, but in a genuine expression of gratitude because the Lord first gives to us—literally everything we have is from Him. He loves us. With the same measure of heart that we communicate through our giving, the Lord directs people and circumstances favorably on our behalf. The circle of God’s love is a circle of giving.
Starting now and going forward, make a decisive commitment concerning your money and all you plan to do with it. Ask God and listen to what He tells you. Your generosity is between you and your Lord, a higher spiritual expression than financial record-keeping or giving a good impression. The privilege of giving is God’s idea—holy and special and completely beyond anything we can imagine.
Give, and it shall be given to you.
Amen.