Saturday Reflection – 07 August 2021
“Now who else is willing to give a generous offering to the Lord?” 1 Chronicles 29:5
Today’s watchword echoes David’s invitation to the house of Israel to offer useful gifts both generously and sacrificially for the building of God’s temple. David himself had given a gift for the builders, and now invited the people to follow his gracious example. As the invitation went out, so did the people respond in like manner, giving many gifts and igniting a great celebration among them as they had given willingly to the Lord. Hear David in his praise to God in verses 11-13 “You are great and powerful, glorious, splendid, and majestic. Everything in heaven and earth is yours, and you are king, supreme ruler over all. All riches and wealth come from you; you rule everything by your strength and power; and you are able to make anyone great and strong. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and we praise your glorious name.”
But the sticking point in his praise is echoed in verse 14 where David says: “Yet my people and I cannot really give you anything, because everything is a gift from you, and we have only given back what is yours already.” That even in their celebration, they would think too highly of themselves, in their ability to give, or consider that if it were not for them, there would be no gift received for the building of the temple, instead, they recognized that all that they had, were out of God’s bounty to them, and they only gave but a portion of all that they have been blessed with. We hear the humble heart continuing in verses 16-17 where David says “O Lord, our God, we have brought together all this wealth to build a temple to honor your holy name, but it all came from you and all belongs to you. I know that you test everyone’s heart and are pleased with people of integrity. In honesty and sincerity I have willingly given all this to you, and I have seen how your people who are gathered here have been happy to bring offerings to you.”
As we reflect on this experience, there are two notions that come out for our consideration. The first is, the issuance of the invitation. Like David, we too are called to give of our time, talent, treasure to the enlarging of God’s kingdom and to the glory of God’s holy name. This may come in the form of our regular freewill offering, our tithes, and special walk-up offerings for different projects. But many people consider treasure, and forget that God has called us to give generously and sacrificially of our time and talent as well. Giving of our time to engage and actively participate in church activities and ministries, to fellowship and give a helping hand, to fulfill the mandate of Christ is indeed time well spent. For there is a thrill that we feel when we get together with God’s wonderful people. And talent is important, to use our skills and experience to the benefit of our church ministry and the overall life and witness of the Church. When we put heads and hearts together, thinking, believing, and helping to make it happen, and then to put our all, that it comes out better, when we use our gifts to make worship richer, to edify and call people to Christ, then we really become good stewards of all that God has blessed us with. And since God has given us, out of His riches in glory, time, talent, and treasure, then in response, we give generously and sacrificially to the Lord.
The second notion coming from the text, comes in the response. There is no pride, but humble surrender to the Lord. This recognition that all they had was out of God’s bounty, led them to recognize that they are indeed nothing without the Lord. Had God not so blessed them, then there would be no offering to give. You see brothers and sisters, our ability to give of our time, talent, or treasure, however beneficial, must never lead us to pride where we begin to seek entitlements rather than assignments. Instead, we must humbly surrender all that we are, and all that we’ve got, to be used by the Lord. Should we be able to give, to help out, to make better, then we give God thanks, that God has used us, to be apart of His ministry, and that by His grace, it was the success that it was. Remember, that we are all co-labourers in God’s vineyard, so without God, then we run this race in vain. And we must never consider ourselves more or less important, as one person plants, the other waters, but God gives the increase.
As a result of these two important notions, before considering how and in what condition, we give, we must first give ourselves to the Lord. Without surrendering our all on the altar of sacrifice, then all our giving, however generous and sacrificial, is certainly in vain.
Until next week, may we give of ourselves to the Lord, then may we give generously and sacrificially of our time, talent, and treasure, to our generous Lord, ever with the words of W.W. How, 1858, as we sacrificially give:
“We give thee but Thine own,
Whate’er the gift may be;
All that we have is thine alone,
A trust, O Lord, from Thee.”
Amen.
Dominic J. Blair
