Dear Heavenly Father,
Acts 20:35 tells us the amazingly wise words of Your Son, Jesus Christ. He said it is better to give than to receive. Father, this is a very basic lesson You’re teaching us, but we still don’t have it firmly in our consciousness. You have charged us with the call to feed Your sheep, to help care for those that are not able to adequately care for themselves; the homeless, abandoned children, older citizens, and those with disabilities. But what we’re witnessing today is an attack on the most vulnerable, and we as believers are not rallying together to do more about it.
You want us to do our parts, because giving opens the door to Your blessings. But sometimes our selfishness prevents us from making a difference in the way You’ve planned. There’s a price to pay for this. When we’re not successful and not receiving the thing we’ve prayed to receive, we complain and try to place the blame on You, but You do not withhold blessings from Your people. Psalm 84:11 tells us that You are our sun and shield. It says that You give terrifically good things like grace and mercy, and You don’t withhold any good thing from those of us that walk righteously.
The reality is that we withhold blessings from ourselves by not cultivating a mind and heart to give and be a blessing to others. Many of us will not even tithe into Your Kingdom, yet at the same time we will profess to have faith. Galatians 5:6 tells us that expressing our faith through love is what’s important to You. We can’t express it through love if we’re not being obedient and giving the way You’ve commanded.
You tell us in 2Corinthians 9:12-15 that our responsibility to help others will produce abundant thankfulness to You. This is because You see our obedience of being a blessing to others as an open display of gratitude, showing we are thankful for the message and example of Jesus Christ. Those we bless will see our good works and give You the glory You so wonderfully deserve. Thank You Heavenly Father for reminding us to open our eyes wide to opportunities to give. You have placed them throughout our everyday environments, and we’ll see them if our heart is to do Your Will.
Thank You for showing us the way through our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Thank You for showing us Your love, strength, and power as we seek to grow in You and trust You with our whole hearts. Thank You for our Blessed Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, and thank You for the Holy Spirit. Let Your Will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“It is Better to Give Than to Receive”, written by K. Lizzie, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2018. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.