Devotional for the Week —18 August 2008

This Week's Devotional | 2004 Devotionals | 2005 Devotionals
2006 Devotionals | 2007 Devotionals | 2008 Devotionals

Devotional for the week – 18 August 2008

Sermon Title: Sowing Generously
Sermon Text: 2 Corinthians 9:6-9

Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times; having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-9)

Introduction

The topic on ‘giving’ has always been a difficult and unpopular issue to preach as it is always associated with ‘losing something’. The Apostle Paul considers giving with ‘sowing’ rather than ‘losing something’ and correlates this to farming. Farmers know the importance of sowing. They know that if they do not sow, they would not be able to reap any harvest. They also know that there are risks such as unpredictable weather which may destroy their crops. The farmers’ dependency is on the Lord and they know that there is no standard or magic formula to follow - whether to sow 20% and keep 80%, or sow 3% and keep 97% - there is no right or wrong method. How then should we sow?

Decision of Giving

In 2 Corinthians 9:7, the bible states that we should not give under pressure or with reluctance. It is between you and God. We should prayerfully seek the Lord and decide on the amount to give. We should also consider the needs of our family. We need to give as we can and not as we cannot. We must not give in order to impress anyone, because we have already received our reward. We are given 100% to work with and our attitude should be important as God sees our hearts. It is important that we remember the source of our resources – they come from God and we are just stewards of these resources. We are told to bring the first fruits to the Lord and we must also train our children to do likewise. (Exodus 23:19) This would honour God.

Sow Cheerfully

God loves a cheerful giver. He does not want us to give grudgingly or reluctantly but cheerfully. It is quality giving that is important. God is able to multiply all that we have given. There is a return that God promises – we will have sufficient and more. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Conclusion

We may not see tangible results but we may reap the harvest in a number of ways. As we sow, we see God as trustworthy and thus strengthen our relationship with Him. We are able to bless others in so many ways. Sometimes, the little we sow may change the lives of people from other needy countries. There is also the need to teach our children the principles of sowing and the blessing to share what they have received.

Prayer Response

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for Your love for me. Thank you for reminding me that the source of all my resources comes from You. I am only a steward. Give me the wisdom to be a good steward not only of Your resources but also my time and talents. Help me to sow generously in the kingdom of God. Amen.

Devotional based on a sermon by Rev Lim Jen Huat

(C) BMC 2008 All Rights Reserved