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Why I Find Giving A Pleasure
by Ramona Cook Before I begin my testimony about giving, I need to advise you that I do not give great amounts of money because I can't at this time, nor at any time in the past. Should I begin to accrue large sums of money I will give larger contributions to the Church and to the charities that God warms my heart toward; but at this time my giving is not anything that wows anyone, but God. God is very favorable to my act of giving albeit small, because He sees it as an act of faith in Him, and an act of love for Him, and an act of obedience to Him. The Lord Himself must be the focus of our giving. God does not need my paltry gifts, but He loves me, and He knows that I need to give because He has created the Law of Sowing and Reaping which, "Shall not fail as long as the Earth stands." Genesis 8:22 If I do not, in obedience and faith and with love "give what I am able to give," then God knows that I cannot reap an abundance because I have not planted a seed." II Corinthians 9: 6 - 15 Reaping in abundance is not the main thing however; bringing the gift to God is what it is all about. It is exciting to bring a gift for the offering plate when you realize that you are acknowledging God; that you are simply doing what He has asked. Jesus said, "IF you love Me you will obey my commands, but IF you do not love Me, you won't." John 14: 21 & John 14: 23 I would love to be a Tither, a 10% giver, and I assume I am going there. I started lower than where I am presently. I have taken my determined amount to the Lord on many occasions when I thought I would not have enough money to last until the next paycheck was due to arrive, but I have never been out of money even when it appeared I would. The goal is to be more than a 10% giver. R. G. Le Tourneau, a business man of years past, gave 90% of his income and lived off the remaining 10%. Malachi 3:10 I am desirous to be an hilarious giver! I am in fact an hilarious giver, but I think my great joy will increase as my income increases and I can give more and more. II Corinthians 9: 7 I assume that you can detect that I am a low wage earner, but you may not know that along with that fact that I have many responsibilities for reasons of family sickness and other losses as well. Many are the times I have thought I could not fulfill the desire in my heart to give any portion of God has required, but I have learned that God is faithful to increase the little given to Him until it grows into a larger gift, while never leaving me without what I need, and indeed providing all that I need. I must toot the horn for God: He has given me a new car totally free of charge, even the license plates and initial taxes paid. But there was a time also that I thought I did not have what I needed. It was a day before my Social Security check was to arrive, I was unemployed, and I was out of bread and milk. I had three dollars in my pocket book and the cost would be about six dollars. I searched in all the places folks who need some money look, like in the couch and chairs, in all the coat pockets and stored pocket books in the house, I had no other cash on hand, I could not find one penny. Holding the three dollars I said, "God says my needs are met, so I will find day old bread and I'll get one/half gallon of milk." So with car keys in hand I left my apartment to walk the long walkway to my car. As I was about 15 feet out of my doorway I looked to the left, on the grass lay three one dollar bills; they were not crumpled, they were perfectly flat and laid side by side. No one had dropped them there, they were placed there. I knew they were mine: I came home with one-gallon of milk and my regular loaf of fresh bread. Giving to God is a thing we determine to do, and I can say that I know, as everyone who gives with determination knows, that God is faithful to provide and He is so joyful that we will trust Him to do as He says He will do. "Prove Me," God says. Malachi 3:10 These are but two of the testimonies I have to tell; there are many more. His faithfulness as I grow in ability to give is so merciful. (I have talked myself into a higher amount of gift determination. Yes I have!) We are privileged also to give to the Lord things that have value, but are not of the money kind of gift. We give services in the way of helping our neighbors and visiting the sick and shut-ins, feeding the hungry, by passing good clothing along to those who cannot purchase clothes, by taking folks into our houses who have no home, by taking those persons to the doctor who have no transportation, and a host of other services as well. It is not a joy to give out of duty or necessity, but I think it is still better than not giving at all because it at the least shows, an act of obedience. (The hilarity will come in time.) Start small, if you need to, just be determined and consistent; watch what happens. Think about it, read the Scriptures, follow your heart! Give and you will find you have indeed received everything you need and more importantly, an increasingly closer relationship with God. Matthew 6:11 As we acknowledge that God is real, and really noticing, we become more aware of Who He is and all that He is, our faith increases, and the increasing faith spreads across all of our life like refreshing water soaking into everything we are and do. It is God that we most want and need. He is there with you, and He is here with me, and we need to respond to Him; not together, but rather one on One with Him. John 14:23 I like that. Ramona: 11/09/2014 Ramona, Master in Ministry Arts, BA in Biblical Studies, I am an Ordained Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |