The Lord's Offering

Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD's offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting ... both men and women, as many as had a willing heart.... So they continued bringing to him freewill offerings every morning.... And the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done—indeed too much. (Exodus 35:21-22; 36:3,6-7 NKJV)

Who says you are better than others? What do you have that was not given to you? And if it was given to you, why do you brag as if you did not receive it as a gift? (1 Corinthians 4:7 NCV)

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. (Luke 10:27 KJV)

Surely any church would gladly face the problem of receiving so many offerings that the people must be restrained from bringing. Yet every church does face the problem of us bringing to church what is not necessary to the work of ministry.

Whether we're heard as extrovert voices or as introvert gazes, has any one of us not brought to church an attitude we thought pleasing to God and necessary to our brothers and sisters, which was actually puffing up ourselves?

Any truly good and perfect gift we might offer was first given to us from the Lord, for "in me is nothing good." The offering God desires—whether we put it in the collection plate, give it as a quiet look to brother or sister, or proclaim it boldly—is the gift of love.

Father of Lights, what can people of dust offer a King clothed in majesty? Your desire for our love is humbling. Please reveal Your love for us, that we might love others in kind. Please give us the ability to love as fully as You do, that we might return the gift to You.

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Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy