We Can Never Outgive God
Proverbs 19:7 –
‘The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the LORD, and the LORD will repay him for his good deed.’
Acts 9:36 –
‘In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.’
I’d like to share with you my family story from Christmas 2020. My mum decided not to splash out on the lavish presents and the fattest Christmas turkey with all the trimmings but instead to give to others in need. Through a church in Ghana, west Africa, she sent money and gifts to widows and orphans. The next day she received an unexpected large sum of money in her account. Of course, the first thoughts that came to mind was that this was a scam but as we were pondering the possibility, we received a letter from the bank. The bank had refunded her for interest they wrongly charged from 2005 and paid compensation for her trouble!
The miracle is not actually the money but the timing! Why didn’t they refund this money before this time but instead it occurred straight after we had ‘scattered abroad’ (2 Corinthians 9:9). We obviously shouldn’t give to get rewards or expect God to pay us back with interest but it’s a reminder that when we give to those in need, God sees.
There is a Bible story about a woman called Tabitha/Dorcas (Acts 9:36) who fell sick and died. Because of her constant giving she was greatly loved which motivated her friends to call for the apostle Peter. Peter came, prayed and she was brought back to life!
Giving is the heart of God; it should be part of us as Christians and we, like Dorcas, shouldn’t grow tired of doing good. For us, giving doesn’t have to be a big gesture: it could look like helping out with ‘Love Your Neighbour’, helping someone fix their broken fence or offering someone a hand with their shopping. However, the message for today is: we can never out-give God; God himself gave us the greatest gift - his only Son
Prayer – Lord help me to be a giver, help me to actively seek out opportunities where I can be a blessing to someone. Thank you for your Great Gift, Jesus.
Editor – p.s. Friday’s Devotional was a continuation from Andy Winmill!