Daily Devotional for Friday November 27, 2009

The Widow Gave Out of Obedience and an Understanding of How God Works

(Luke 21:1-4)

As most people were making their offering from the abundance that they had been blessed with, here came a widow with no wealth, with no possessions, who was just getting by day to day. Yet, Jesus took the time to point out that her offering was greater than the others because she was giving out of her need. How could that be? You see my friend, it was not the greatest offering in the amount that she gave, but it was the greatest offering because of the heart that she gave it with.

The point of this passage today is that the widow gave because she not only had faith that God would meet her daily needs, but just as important, she gave out of obedience and an understanding of how God works. You don't "give to get." You give as an act of obedience. You give as a form of worship. You give to bless others, and because you give with a pure heart, God in turn blesses you. Never forget that His blessings come in many forms. Not just in money, but in things like health, safety, daily provision, and many blessings that we simply take for granted.

What I want you to take from this word today is that the amount that you give is not important. It is being obedient to give what God tells you to give! It is the heart and motivations that you give it with. When you give sacrificially, you are saying to God that you trust Him to provide for your needs as He has promised to, and that you are more concerned for others than yourself. Nothing touches the heart of God more than giving of yourself to others, much as He gave His own Son for the sins of this world. God understands sacrificial giving!!!

I love you and care about you so much. Every day I get so many emails from people on the subject of giving. How much to give. Who to give it to. Never forget this. ALL, 100% of what we have belongs to God and is simply on loan to us. So whatever you give, you are simply giving back a portion of what He has entrusted to you for this season. That is why you can't outgive God, IT IS HIS ALREADY! My counsel is to get alone with the Lord, pray, and let Him give you direction in how much to give and who to give it to, then be faithful to do it and do it cheerfully. HE WILL BLESS YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS, AND HE WILL BLESS YOU FOR YOUR OBEDIENCE.

In His love and service,

Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller