“You first give yourself to the Lord since He has given His all for you.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – April 1, 2024
The grace that God has given the Macedonian churches…They gave themselves first of all to the Lord…See that you also excel in this grace of giving. 2 Corinthians 8:1-7
God does not need your money, but he does want you! In love, Jesus Christ gave Himself for you, so once you receive God’s gift of grace, you are called to give yourself to God…
You first give yourself to the Lord since He has given His all for you.
Generosity for followers of Jesus Christ begins with your heavenly Father’s gift of his Son. Once you receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you give your life as a living sacrifice of praise and worship to God. When the Lord has you, he has all of you…your relationships, your resources, and anything you would be tempted to say you own. You are a custodian, not an owner. You are in the honored role of caring for God’s blessings in your life in a manner that blesses other lives.
The church in Macedonia, referenced in the opening scripture, was poor in material means but rich in generosity. Out of great joy, they gave beyond their means. Instead of restricting themselves to percentage giving, they were freed by grace for generous giving. Paul illustrates to the more prosperous Corinthian church that generosity was a matter of first giving themselves. He attempted to motivate this abundantly resourced group of believers to cheerfully give to Christ’s work by telling them stories of Christians who gave aggressively out of their extreme poverty and severe trials. Joyful generosity can mean more to those who have less. It may mean more to the poor because they give sacrificially, not out of abundance. Generous giving is not just a mere transaction but a mighty transformation, starting with the giver. A community of believers or individual Christians who experience the riches of God’s grace joyfully excel in the grace of giving.
The spirit of the grace of giving is not that I have to give but that I get to give. It’s a privilege. So, what is the grace of giving, and why do I need this grace of giving? The grace of giving is God’s gift to a humble heart to freely give, so I am empowered to model the way of Jesus. God gives grace to the humble who acknowledge their dependence on him. So, then, because the Macedonian church had received God’s grace, they were empowered to willingly and freely give. Their generosity flowed from a life freed by grace from the shackles of guilt and greed. Even to this day, the followers of Jesus Christ in this Eastern European region beautifully live a legacy of generosity.
In my early thirties, I experienced a great adventure as I traveled to Macedonia (today officially Northern Macedonia, the result of a compromise with Greece) on three occasions to provide leadership training for university students. The generous hospitality of the local gathering of Jesus’ followers was warm and inviting. Conversations over Turkish coffee in the mornings and extended discussions over appetizing, unhurried dinners helped me immerse myself in the culture and better understand how to love and serve my Macedonian brothers and sisters in Christ. Their grace in giving to me and our team flowed out of more scarce resources than in America but with eternal impact. These Jesus lovers did more with less because of the grace of God overflowing in their generosity. This grace of giving is a legacy worth living for those we love.
“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I praise you for your grace that empowers radical generosity through Christ’s love, and in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
Who models for you grace in their generous giving? How?
Related Reading
Exodus 16:18; Psalm 112:5; Proverbs 11:24-25; Matthew 6:21
Worship Resource
Hillsong United: Good Grace
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