I was thinking the other day about the words I use in worship. I know I’m not telling you anything new here, but I use a lot of the same words again and again!
I am especially guilty of this when it comes to issuing the invitation to our time of Offering. I know I say, “This is not a time of obligation, but a time of opportunity” at least once a month. You probably know my other phrases better than I do!
I wish I was more creative, but the thing is – I think the Bible sees issues of ownership, offering, stewardship, etc. pretty simply. We’re the ones who make it complicated. What and how much we give, whether we’re required to tithe, what constitutes an offering – all of these are covered pretty clearly in scripture. But more important than these details is the message that everything is God’s. We’ve been entrusted with it. God has offered us all, even unto the cross. And because of God’s overwhelming generosity, we not only have everything on Earth, we also have eternity in Heaven. It’s amazing, really.
And it’s simple. But it’s not easy. We are guaranteed to struggle in turning our lives over to God. But we are called to go beyond the balance-sheet mentality of “what and how much” and develop a gratitude for God’s gifts that encompasses all areas of our lives. Our goal is to respond with ourselves. Our desire is to give God not only our 10%, but also everything we have been, are and will be.
Not obligation – opportunity. An opportunity to worship God with all of our lives.
May God bless us as we strive to do so.
God go with you!
I am especially guilty of this when it comes to issuing the invitation to our time of Offering. I know I say, “This is not a time of obligation, but a time of opportunity” at least once a month. You probably know my other phrases better than I do!
I wish I was more creative, but the thing is – I think the Bible sees issues of ownership, offering, stewardship, etc. pretty simply. We’re the ones who make it complicated. What and how much we give, whether we’re required to tithe, what constitutes an offering – all of these are covered pretty clearly in scripture. But more important than these details is the message that everything is God’s. We’ve been entrusted with it. God has offered us all, even unto the cross. And because of God’s overwhelming generosity, we not only have everything on Earth, we also have eternity in Heaven. It’s amazing, really.
And it’s simple. But it’s not easy. We are guaranteed to struggle in turning our lives over to God. But we are called to go beyond the balance-sheet mentality of “what and how much” and develop a gratitude for God’s gifts that encompasses all areas of our lives. Our goal is to respond with ourselves. Our desire is to give God not only our 10%, but also everything we have been, are and will be.
Not obligation – opportunity. An opportunity to worship God with all of our lives.
May God bless us as we strive to do so.
God go with you!
