Giving as an Act of Worship
Hello COAH,
Growing up I remember my mom saving crisp new $1 & $2 bills for offering. Each Sunday she would put the saved bills in the offering envelope for my weekly offering. When loonies and toonies were introduced, my offering moved up to $5, because she didn’t want me to give “coins” for offering. For those who grow up in the church, I’m sure many of you can identify with this story. I even heard stories of moms ironing money (before they were made of polymer) when they didn’t have a crisp new bills.
Such memories, remind me, that getting ready your weekly offering was a way to prepare our heart for worship. For the offering we give is an act of worship.
The offering to God each Sunday is an act of worship, must like confessing the Apostles’ Creed, singing of praise, listening to the sermon, and engaging in prayer.
For offering provides the believers the opportunity to respond in gratitude to the grace, love, hope and mercy of God. It also allows us to put our faith and trust in the Lord into action by believing the offering will be used for His Kingdom work.
The Bible testifies to the importance of the giving of our possessions to God as an act of worship. From the very beginning the true worshipers would approach God, not with empty hands, but with something of value to offer up to him. From the first story about worship by Cain & Abel, when they came to worship, they came with something to offer. Throughout the Old Testament, the people of Israel always gave an offering when approach God for worship.
We are told in Deuteronomy 16:16b-17 (ESV), “They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you.”
In the New Testament, scripture calls Christians to be ‘generous givers’ as an expression of our love for God, for Paul writes 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (EVS), “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”
So, as we prepare to come early for our Sunday worship, let us prepare our hearts for worship by being more thoughtful with our offering.
Blessings,
Pastor Kyu