I wish I had coined this phrase, but someone in my church came up with it and it fitted a sermon I was preaching in that service beautifully as did the children's talk. One of those God moments when you have been given a tricky scripture to preach and yet you know you must and then things come up in the service that link so clearly that it just has to be God directing.
So whats this "Attitude of Gratitude" all about?
How many of us can say we truly like giving? If we are honest it is not easy to give away what has been hard earned and could be used for so many things ... our season ticket for the team we watch, a newer car, a bigger house, a holiday, a new computer / phone / PDA ... the list is endless.
When we consider giving, and lets keep this to money, and especially giving to our church and thus God's kingdom work, it is tricky - is it a proportion of our income, pre or post deductions, does it include occasional income, interest and so on? If we are having to ask those questions may I suggest we are asking the wrong ones in relation to giving.
The bible tells us that stingy giving results in stingy crops. But theres more, what the whole of 2Cor 9 is telling us it that giving money to God's work is a thought-out, prayed out decision in response in worship to God who has generously, lavishly given to each of us. Christian giving to God's work that is to his kingdom, needs an Attitude of Gratitude from us as a response to God who has already poured out his blessings on each of us.
What God has done through Jesus Christ is to offer us eternal live, salvation and relationship with him - life in its fullness or abundance. No, not everything we want or desire but a fruitful kingdom life where we are storing up treasure in heaven not here and now. A life where we hold lightly all that God gives in a material sense knowing that its been given that we might sow blessings into the kingdom of God through our generous giving. God wants generous givers. So lets work on not being stingy givers but a people with an Attitude of Gratitude for all he has, is and will do for us.
Postscript - after my churches harvest service I was blessed by the offering of foodstuff for our local Foodbank to help those without here and financially to those oversea that other organisations are helping. Generosity is very much a heart attitude ...
So whats this "Attitude of Gratitude" all about?
How many of us can say we truly like giving? If we are honest it is not easy to give away what has been hard earned and could be used for so many things ... our season ticket for the team we watch, a newer car, a bigger house, a holiday, a new computer / phone / PDA ... the list is endless.
When we consider giving, and lets keep this to money, and especially giving to our church and thus God's kingdom work, it is tricky - is it a proportion of our income, pre or post deductions, does it include occasional income, interest and so on? If we are having to ask those questions may I suggest we are asking the wrong ones in relation to giving.
The bible tells us that stingy giving results in stingy crops. But theres more, what the whole of 2Cor 9 is telling us it that giving money to God's work is a thought-out, prayed out decision in response in worship to God who has generously, lavishly given to each of us. Christian giving to God's work that is to his kingdom, needs an Attitude of Gratitude from us as a response to God who has already poured out his blessings on each of us.
What God has done through Jesus Christ is to offer us eternal live, salvation and relationship with him - life in its fullness or abundance. No, not everything we want or desire but a fruitful kingdom life where we are storing up treasure in heaven not here and now. A life where we hold lightly all that God gives in a material sense knowing that its been given that we might sow blessings into the kingdom of God through our generous giving. God wants generous givers. So lets work on not being stingy givers but a people with an Attitude of Gratitude for all he has, is and will do for us.
Postscript - after my churches harvest service I was blessed by the offering of foodstuff for our local Foodbank to help those without here and financially to those oversea that other organisations are helping. Generosity is very much a heart attitude ...
No comments:
Post a Comment
thanks for you comment, I will response as soon as I can.