We read in Genesis 15:5-6,18 of God’s amazing generosity. He said this to Abraham, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so, he added, will your descendants be. Abram put his faith in the LORD, who attributed it to him as an act of righteousness. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: To your descendants I give this land.”
What a great illustration of how God is a giver. He gives lavishly, extravagantly – as much as all the stars in the lsky. Think about it this way – can you count the leaves on the trees in your yard, or even all the blades of grass in your lawn? God gives all of that to you. Just as He gave Abram all that land and all those descendants, He gives us everything: every moment of time; every measure of talent; every ounce of treasure. Everything!
Abraham is an excellent role model for us. We should follow his example of trust. We should put our faith in God as Abraham did and have it accounted to us as righteousness. And as disciples, we should strive to emulate God and give lavishly as He gave to Abraham. We should give courageously, sacrificially – trusting that God will provide! When our giving is sacrificial, just at the edge of what we think we can afford, then in our small-scale way, our giving approaches the sacrificial giving of Jesus on the cross.
This is the life-cycle of living Stewardship: From->Through->To. Everything comes from God which we receive gratefully and develop as best as we can. And then through us, we give to the needs of others–alms. Embracing the truth that God gives us everything, and believing in how God employed this truth in Jesus – Jesus coming from God, and through Jesus and what He did for us by suffering and dying on the cross – He gives to us eternal life.
What, then, can we return to God for all the blessings and benefits He gives to us? Again, Abraham gives the best example. We know from the previous chapter, Genesis 14:20, that Abraham gave a tenth of everything. In utmost humility and gratitude, we, too, should give 10%. For most of us, that would be sacrificial. Tithing is hard to do. But can you step out in faith, trust in God as an act of righteousness, and give?
Giving is the best demonstration of our gratitude. So give. Bring this to prayer and ask God what He wants you to give, what is sacrificial for you. Then give that amount. In Malachi 3:10 we hear God challenge us. It says to Try Him in this and see if in your obedience to God’s commands to give, just as Abraham was obedient, He doesn’t pour down blessings without measure.
Photo Credit: Robert Davis
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