"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." Hebrews 13:16
There is a special joy we receive in sharing. Whether it is for someone we love or a total stranger, it makes us feel good when we do things for others. About 20 years ago, the Pay It Forward movement began, followed by a famous movie by that name. Each year we celebrate Pay It Forward Day on April 28 is; the idea “is to inspire acts of kindness on this day in hopes that the ripple of good will continue throughout the entire year.” As we can tell from today’s verse, it is not a new concept. It was something we saw demonstrated consistently in Jesus’ ministry.
We all try to put this into practice. When we share our tithes and offerings with the church, we are giving to the mission of God, but our good gifts to others are also a way of offering sacrifices to God. When we give, we are imitating our giving, Lord. Our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier who gives us everything. In sharing, we free ourselves from the materialism the world holds dear, conquering the fear of scarcity and acknowledging God's plenty. The joy we feel comes from our desire to please God.
God of plenty, we give you thanks for all we have. We know you always satisfy our needs, but Satan tells us there's not enough. We confess, we sometimes do not do all the good we can and share as we should. Please forgive us and help us to be joyful givers to our neighbors and those in need. Let all our gifts be pleasing sacrifices to you. In your greatest gift Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
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