A Testimony of Giving

The story of the widow giving her two mites (in the New Testament) has always been precious to me. There is something so beautiful about someone who gives ALL that she/he has that she/he might please God. And lately, I came to know of someone doing this. Before I tell you this story, I admit that her actions seem VERY unwise in the eyes of those looking on at the giver. This young woman lives on $50 per month with her room and board graciously given to her by a family member. All of her bills must be paid with this money, all of her "extras" including medicine, specialty foods for health, etc. $50 per month in AMERICA is not much at all to live off of, unless you're in grade school perhaps.

She knew that God was prompting her to give $25 per month to a missionary. She also knew that God was telling her to give $38 per month to sponsor a child in India, who has so much less than her. I guess she's not very good at math. Last time I checked, 25+38=63...So she's actually giving something like 126% of her income each month.

She was afraid to take that step, of giving. After all, giving 126% of your income is insane, right? How would she ever pay her bills, etc. now? It was late one Tuesday night that she swallowed her fear and hit the "pay now" button on the Compassion International website, sending off her $38 gift. And she was excited. Really excited. She shared that she's never been any good at giving: it has always been a struggle for her. She grew up in a household with parents who gave faithfully, but she'd seen them struggle financially most of her life. She'd gone on missions trips and always struggled to raise the money needed. Her parents had even planned to be missionaries, but had been unable to raise the financial support they needed to go. They never went. While she says she doesn't care much for money, she admits that in reality, its because she hasn't ever had much of it. And she knew it was God at work in her heart because she WAS excited to give--something that had never happened before.

Well, Wednesday came and went...and then Thursday came. "I'm sending you a check for $150. Do whatever you want to with it," a friend emailed her. Needless to say, this young woman was rather ecstatic...she had seen God answer her prayers! Now she could not only sponsor this little girl and give to the missionary she had pledged to support, but she could pay her bills, too!

It may seem like so little...after all, where will the money come from next month to cover the bills?

But, really, according to her, there is no question. "God will provide it. After all, He told us to test Him in our giving. I'm doing that. I may not be very wise in the world's eyes for giving like this, but I trust Him to cover it. And more. He says in His Word that He will. That's good enough for me."

This week's challenge: Are you giving? Do you tithe each month? Do you give to missions? Do you help the poor (even with time/effort/things)? If someone who has so little can do it, just like the widow with her two meager mites did, I guarantee you can. Sure, you might have to cut back on those Starbucks' coffees or eating out 3 times per week, but you can do it...after all--the salvation of the lost is a lot more important than that coffee, right? (I doubt your waistline would mind the relief from those calories either!). And don't get all weird because it's a missionary saying this to you. I'm just repeating what I know to be true: Give because GOD is telling you to give--and He will bless you for doing it!

"Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." (Malachi 3:10)

The Reality Escapes Me

"I am crucified with Christ,
therefore I no longer live:
Jesus Christ now lives in me."
(Galatians 2:20)

The strangeness of that thought: to be crucified with Christ, yet still living...

We, as Biblically taught Christians, understand that this death is the death of our sin natures on the cross of Jesus ("And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" Gal. 5:24) but how strange this truth is! None of us has the concept, not really, of what it would be like to be crucified...I mean, personally I've stepped on a few rusty nails, which caused me to then be stuck with a long, pointy needle, but that's the closest I've been to having nails driven through my hands and feet! And whipped? How many of us have actually been whipped intensely with such a whip as Jesus was scourged with? Not that many people...and carrying your own instrument of death? Those on Death Row in America certainly don't experience that...And yet, none of these things were what made His crucifixion so truly horrific.

"My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34) Jesus cried out to God, His Father, Himself! NONE of us know what it is like to have such an intimate, deep, passionate relationship with God as Jesus has with Him. And NONE of us can even fathom the agony Jesus went through when separated from God when He took on the sins of the world (John 1:29, Isaiah 53). It is my belief, through various studies on Mark 14 (Jesus' agony in Gethsemane), etc., that separation from God is what made the crucifixion so horrific. Yes, Jesus' humanity was complete in every way on earth: terrible pain, terrible hunger, terrible loss, terrible sorrow. Jesus experienced these all, along with great joy, happiness, peace and other positive emotions and experiences of humanity. But His deity was not diminished in the slightest, despite how people have tried to twist Philippians 2:6 ("Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God"). Jesus IS God. And setting aside His immortality, His perfection, His sinlessness to BECOME sin for humanity was the greatest agony of all. To be separated from God is more devastating than any of us can or want to imagine. Many nights I have laid awake thanking God that I will never be separated from Him, for life eternal without God is truly hell.

Oh, that we might truly understand what it means when we say "I am crucified with Christ"! None of us truly does, at least experientially. I don't know that any of us truly will on this earth, for we still shall struggle against the flesh. But, as my friend pointed out, Christ has already DONE the crucifying of this flesh. So, in heaven someday, we shall finally have the full concept of this crucifixion of the flesh, for there, we will no longer struggle against the Old Man.

In the meantime, are you attempting to understand what this crucifixion of the flesh truly is? If not, why not? If you're not living a life behaving as one whose flesh has been crucified, then you're not living the glorious, joyous life that God has intended for you! Jesus wants us to have an abundant life, and that abundance only comes through HIS gift of New Life: revel in it!

Salvation/Redemption: For His Name's Sake

Genesis holds not only the record of God creating the world, but it also holds the account of the fall of that creation, as well as a promise from God Himself that someday, He would redeem that creation back to Himself and defeat Satan (Genesis 3:15). Creation was for God's glory (Colossians 1:16, "For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him"), so it only makes sense that Redemption/Salvation is also for God's glory.

While Redemption effects creation, the purpose of it (along with the fall of creation) was to demonstrate God's glory in the best way possible. His acts of kindness, His demonstrations of mercy, His love are all things that BRING HIM ALONE GLORY. His glory cannot be taken from Him, nor can it be lessened by a fallen creation, in fact, it is magnified in the very fallen creation that He will one day renew completely (Isaiah 12:22, Psalm 106:8, Romans 8:19-22, Titus 2:14).

All of the universe was made for God's glory, all of creation will be redeemed, some day for God's glory. Salvation, too, then is for God's glory, for it is through the perfect life, cursed death and miraculous Resurrection of Jesus Christ that all of creation will one day be restored.

Jesus Christ is the Instrument of God through which God's glory is most revealed (Romans 16:27, "To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen"; II Corinthians 1:20, "'For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through Him the "Amen" is spoken...to the glory of God'"; Hebrews 1:3 "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven").
Jesus Christ, perfect in everyway, very God Himself (Revelation 22:13, "'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End'"; Philippians 2:6, "[Jesus Christ] who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped"; Hebrews 1:8, 10, 11 & 12, "But about the Son He says, 'Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. He also says, 'In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end'"), was given, by God the Father, the task of salvation/redemption. John 17 holds the record of one of Jesus' prayers, in which He said, "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do,'" clearly in reference to this salvation, His work, His assignment from God the Father.

While the Bible does regularly speak of the benefits of salvation towards creation, the ultimate truth is that salvation/redemption are all works done to BRING GOD GLORY. Even in Psalms, it is clear that salvation is for God's glory, for His "Name's Sake" (25:11; 79:9; 106:8; 109:21; 143:11).

All Glory to God forever more!
All praises and honor
for His Sake He has redeemed what once was fell,
for His Name's Sake He died and rose as well!


This Week's Challenge: Examine your own life and heart...what do you feel the reason is that God redeemed you? Who deserves the glory for that? Who deserves the glory in all situations? It's easy for us to answer "God, of course." But in your heart-of-hearts, do you REALLY feel that way? If so, rejoice in His awesome glory. If not, rejoice in His awesome glory! If you struggle with giving Him the glory, just start to do it...one step at a time...one thing at a time. He will move in your heart, changing you...convincing you to give Him ALL the glory.