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Giving what is not ours
“O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! 1 Chronicles 29:13-14
What is our response to the Easter Message? Christ came into our world and gave his life, freely for us. He suffered, he bled, he faced agony and ridicule. He faced the wrath of God for our sin and the shame and insult of an angry world.
There is an old hymn which says, “nothing in my hand, I cling, simply to the cross I cling.” The sentiment is so true, what can we bring to the cross this Easter, all that we are in Christ, is Christ. All that we possess is from our Father in heaven in the first place. Even our love for each other and for Christ himself is because he first loved us.
If there were no Easter, there would be no salvation. There would be nothing to give because we would have nothing of any value to give to God.
This Easter when you give, don’t measure it in relation to everyone else, but in relation to the sacrificial love of God through Jesus. Don’t look at everyone else or point the finger, but recognize that the only thing you can really give of value is your life in service to God.
You may have nothing in your hand, but you have life, a life where the Spirit of God dwells, that is of value, immense value.
This Easter give from your heart, sing praises with more passion and joy, serve with a willing and beautiful heart. Give your offering with cheerfulness and gladness. Love each other with a measure of how Christ loves and continues to love us. Put away pride, self-centredness and offense and wear humility, thankfulness and patience. Portrait kindness and mercy, forgiving others as Christ has forgiven you. If we give each other these things then we are giving God, what he has already given us.
But please never forget that whatever our token of love through our giving is, it was still his hands, that the nails were driven into. He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
