Day 15: Wednesday, March 15th, 2017

Mar 15, 2017 | by Congregation Members | series: Lenten Devotionals 2017

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Day 15: Wednesday, March 15, 2017 Deuteronomy 16:17

God loves a cheerful giver. The Lord takes delight in those who are joyful and energetic givers. Growing up I knew that my parents gave money to our church. I always got to put our dollar in the plate or basket. In college that dollar turned into a $5 bill. My parents, although they always did, never explained to me what tithing was. I had no idea there was a framework or a system laid out for what you were supposed to give. It wasn’t until I took Financial Peace University with Dave Ramsey here at this church that I found out what tithing was. Or at least its definition. That class was one of the many reasons I feel so blessed to be a member of First United Methodist Church Killeen—for ALL that this church and You all have given to me. A few years ago, in all areas of my life, I was in a much different place than I am now. There was a lot in my life that didn’t make sense. In fact at one point I can say that nothing really made sense. Giving money seemed to be the easiest way to give, right? But not when money was hard to come by and bills were unpaid. Giving my time? I felt like I was already burned out on both ends or wasn’t even sure which way was up. Giving of my talents? Sadly, a few years ago, in that dark place, I didn’t believe I had any.

This church taught me about a disciple’s path. It’s taught me that at any time, in any phase of life, it’s never too late to begin or continue to journey. The entrances and exits are fluid. My path has been simply organic. Webster’s dictionary defines organic as denoting a relationship between elements of something such that they fit together harmoniously as necessary parts of the whole. The church, my faith, are my whole. I’ve grown so much. I’ve been GIVEN so much. It just dynamically makes sense to give back. That $5 bill now seems like an insult. I’m not quite tithing 10% yet, but the amount I place in the plate is substantially more now than it used to be. Deuteronomy 16:17 says you should give in proportion to what God has given you. Each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper. So I’ve learned the Lord never asks us to give what we don’t have or contribute beyond our means, and so I give proportionately.

The church’s focus for 2017 is Stewardship 1:8. Joshua 1:8 reads, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” I’ve got so much to learn, but I feel like the more I learn, the more I give, and the more I give, the more I get back, and the more I get back, the more I want to give. It’s a constant and dynamic flow. We all know that our pastor loves his Greek words so, I looked up the Greek meaning of steward: Oikenomous, which means someone who manages the household; a person doesn’t own the household but manages it. I mean, how perfect! All that we have was given to us by God, the owner, who entrusted us to manage and maintain. Stewardship–we are accountable to God for what we do and with what He has entrusted to us. It’s all that we do with all that we are and all that we have. Time, talent, treasure–I’ve got all of those things now.

I read somewhere that Christ’s self-giving is the standard for giving, begin with the tithe and aim for the emulation of self-sacrifice. I’ve learned there is a direct relationship between our giving to the Lord and the Lord giving to us.

Service, as opposed to ministry, means we are ALL doing it, not just the Pastor. So, as my life is organically falling into place in a way I believe is a direct result of my Faith, how could I not give back?

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Prayer: Thank you, GOD. It’s through Your stewardship and service that I have learned and believe in the direct correlations between our giving to the Lord and the Lord giving to us. Amen.

Contributed by Ann-Marie Larson