Morning Meditation – God Loves a Cheerful Giver
Morning Meditation with George Hutchings
God Loves a Cheerful Giver
2 Corinthians 9:7 “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly
or of necessity (compulsion); for God loves a cheerful giver.” (NKJV)
I’ve heard this verse used in sermons many times. The first time I heard it I figured the preacher wanted to increase his flock and salary. I figured it was being used to manipulate the congregation for selfish reasons.
I basically ignored the teaching until one day I realized the preacher was preaching through the book of 2 Corinthians and that just happened to be the scripture of the day. His sermon reminded Christians to be a giving people. If people are hungry, we give them food. If people are thirsty, we give them water. The preacher was just teaching us that giving is a Christian lifestyle.
Everything we have comes from the hand of God. Oh, yes!, we worked and earned a salary but it was the Lord’s invisible hand that provided us the job and income in order to give.
Mom used to work puzzles, carefully putting the puzzle pieces together. The Lord puts our works on earth together as a picture puzzle. Giving can be a piece of the puzzle of our individual callings.
The Rock Church in Ballwin, MO had a ministry to the homeless. Ballwin is a well-to-do suburb of St. Louis that seldom has homeless people. However, the city of St. Louis has many homeless. Larry Rice is a preacher in St. Louis with a huge ministry to the homeless. Some Rock Church ladies voluntarily made 800 sandwiches each month to take to Larry. He would then take them to the street and feed the homeless.
The ladies were responding to their calling—a giving group with a giving action. They were happy and joyful in their ministry because they were doing the will of God from their hearts. Now, many of those same women prepare lunch for Rock Church worshipers each Sunday. Theirs is a sacrifice of time and energy. As they’ve joyfully taken care of the social and spiritual needs of the church they’ve changed the atmosphere of the church from a cold to a warm fellowship.
2 Corinthians 9:7 changes the teaching of a tithe. Under the Old Testament law it was commanded to give a tenth of the income on the first day of the week. In the New Testament under Christ that teaching changes to giving ungrudgingly and in a cheerful manner as giving comes from the heart. God loves a cheerful giver.
Jesus taught the parable of the servants who received talents (funds) from their master. One turned his talent into ten talents. Another turned his talent into five. A third dug a hole and buried it, gaining no increase. The master scolded the one who hid his talent and gave it to the one who produced ten talents.
In giving, we like to give to successful ministries. Juanita School for Girls in Kenya has been a fruitful vine in the hands of people who willingly sacrificed. In two short years the school has gone from 16 students to 87, with 60 more coming in January.
The scripture says, “Commit the Gospel unto faithful men” (2 Timothy 2:2). Juanita School for Girls has been that fruitful ministry and you can be part of a modern-day miracle by supporting it. Our donors give with glad hearts as they see girls turn into women, poverty turned into prosperity, and nonbelievers into women of faith.
Sponsor a student for $100 per month. That feeds, educates, clothes, and disciples an otherwise poverty-stricken girl. Donate today at www.JuanitaSchoolKenya.org. Or, text your donation to 801801, use Venmo @HeronFund (JuanitaSchoolKenya), or mail a check to Juanita School at 341 Mason Ridge Dr., St. Charles, MO 63304.
George Hutchings, Co-Founder and President
Juanita School for Girls, Jungle Kenya
Follow us at: www.JuanitaSchoolKenya.org
#DailyDevotion #DailyDevotional #MorningDevotion #MorningDevotional #ChristianDevotional #JuanitaGirlsSchool