The Grace of Giving    2 CORINTHIANS 8:1-7   Today we live under a new covenant established by God through the shed blood of His Son Jesus (Heb. 9:15). Based on what Christ did, Romans 12:1 tells us to present ourselves “as a living and holy sacrifice, [which is] acceptable” to the Lord. If you are a child of God, all of your abilities, time, and money belong to Him.

The principle of sacrificial living can be seen in the early church. Those new believers eagerly sold their possessions and property to meet the needs around them (Acts 2:45). In response to their generosity, God blessed them with glad hearts, favor from the people, and increasing numbers.

Macedonian churches also understood the priority of giving. Even though the believers there were extremely poor, they begged for the opportunity to help financially. Scripture says they excelled at the “grace of giving” (v. 7 NIV).

Under Old Testament law, God required a tithe (a tenth of one’s animals and crops) to support the temple (Lev. 27:30-32). When the nation drifted away from this practice, the Lord sent Malachi to warn them of the consequences for disobeying. By not giving their tithe, they were robbing God of what was rightfully His (Mal. 3:8). We certainly don’t want to be guilty of withholding the Lord’s money from Him.

Having appointed us to be His stewards and entrusted us with resources, God expects us to give generously. Jesus praised the impoverished widow in the temple for her sacrificial giving (Mark 12:41-44). When we trust the Lord with our finances as the widow did, we’ll excel at the grace of giving.

Always Giving

God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

1 Timothy 6:17

Our Lord Jesus is always giving and does not for a single moment withdraw His hand. As long as there is a vessel of grace not yet full to the brim, the oil shall not be withheld. He is an ever-shining sun; He is manna in unfailing supply; He is a rock in the desert, sending constant streams of life from His pierced side; the rain of His grace is always falling; the river of His bounty is ever-flowing, and the wellspring of His love is a constant tide.

As the King can never die, so His grace can never fail. Every day we pluck His fruit, and every day His branches bend down to our hand with a fresh supply of mercy. There are seven feast-days in His weeks, and as many banquets in His years. Who has ever returned from His door unblessed? Who has ever risen from His table unsatisfied? His mercies are new every morning and fresh every evening. Who can calculate the number of His benefits or value the extent of His provision? Every passing day we are the beneficiaries of a myriad of mercies.

The wings of our hours are covered with the silver of His kindness and with the yellow gold of His affection. The river of time bears from the mountains of eternity the golden sands of His favor. The countless stars serve as the standard bearers of incalculable blessings. Who can measure the benefits that He bestows on His servant or recount the extent of His mercies toward His own? How shall my soul extol Him who loads us with daily benefits, and who crowns us with loving-kindness? O that my praise could be as endless as His provision. O miserable tongue, how can you be silent? Wake up, I pray, lest I call you no more my glory, but my shame. “Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn.”¹

¹Psalm 57:8