LET US BE GENEROUS TO ALL THE WORLD LIKE GOD WAS GENEROUS TO US!

 

How often do we, in the local church, approach generosity as a once a year in the fall type of deal, focused on raising enough money that we can balance the budget?

·         Too often!

How often do we, in the local church, approach membership as a way of getting more behinds in the seals that will allow us to raise enough money that we can balance the budget?

·         Too often!

How often do we, in the local church, approach discipleship as a way of cultivating more members that will allow us to raise enough money that we can balance the budget?

·         Too often!

How often do we approach generosity, membership and discipleship as part of spiritual formation?

·         Not enough!

As I read back over this, it all feels pretty negative to me, but I decided that rather than change it to a more positive spin, I’d look for the positive in the negative.

We have to remember that we are a channel of God’s blessing, just like Abraham. Abraham was blessed by God, with a blessing that resulted in personal blessings, including the blessing of children, but the blessing also resulted in an open blessing of God’s people, a blessing carried through the Jewish, Christian and Muslim peoples

·         Abraham was Jewish

·         Christianity descended from Isaac through Jesus

·         Islam descended from Ishmael through Mohammed

We experience God because of God’s blessing through Abraham.

Generosity seems so different now when we’re not able to be sitting in our pews and passing the offering plate, but generosity is so much more than that. Generosity has to be spiritual. In my reading, I found a Generosity Prayer that is recited by The Village Church at each one of their services, and I wanted to share it with you.

Holy Father, there is nothing we have that You have not given us. All we have and all we are belong to you, bought with the blood of Jesus. To spend selfishly and to give without sacrifice is the way of the world, but generosity is the way of those who call Christ their Lord. So, help us to increase in generosity until it can be said that there is no needy person among us. Help us to be trustworthy with such a little thing as money that You may trust us with true riches. Above all, help us to be generous because You, Father, are generous. May we show what You are like to all the world. Amen.

            Just as God’s blessing to Abraham was personal and community… so should generosity. Generosity, when done with faith, thought, tact and intentionality not only helps our community, but it also helps us.

            Let us pray: Help us to be generous because You, father are generous. Let us show what you are like to all the world. Amen.