The Upper Room Daily Devotional Nashville, Tennessee, United States “The Man Who Was Willing” for Wednesday, 31 December 2014 - Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.
8-11 God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it,
He throws caution to the winds,
giving to the needy in reckless abandon.
His right-living, right-giving ways
never run out, never wear out.
This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.
12-15 Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain meaning of the Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone. Meanwhile, moved by the extravagance of God in your lives, they’ll respond by praying for you in passionate intercession for whatever you need. Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise it enough!
God loves a cheerful giver.[2 Corinthians 9:7 (NRSV)]
Excited to have a free hour to relax, I settled into my favorite chair with all my quilting supplies within reach. A few minutes later the doorbell rang. Grudgingly, I headed for the door, followed by my nine-year-old daughter, Emily. In the cold, soft rain stood a man with no coat or umbrella, holding a clipboard. After greeting us, he went on to explain that he was collecting money for a mission program. Preoccupied by my desire to return to my project, I responded with a polite but short, “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you today” and slowly closed the door.
Emily asked, “Why? Why did we give nothing? He came out in the cold and rain to collect money for the poor.” Instantly, my heart sank. The honest answer was that my self-centeredness had caused me to miss this opportunity to help someone, as well as the chance to teach my daughter about how God loves a cheerful giver.
A short time later, Emily handed me a drawing titled, “The Man Who Was Willing.” She had expressed on paper what was in her heart. On this day, my young daughter was the teacher. Her childhood artwork remains both a treasured keepsake and a valuable lesson. Fifteen years later, Emily still draws when her heart is profoundly touched, and I strive not to miss any opportunity God gives me to be a cheerful giver.
Read more from the author, here.
"Called to Write"
Thirty-five years ago my mother introduced me to The Upper Room. Mom was a quiet woman of faith whose actions spoke louder than her words. As a young adult, I would often see my mom sitting peacefully and thoughtfully reading from this small booklet. Her example of this daily discipline eventually stirred my curiosity and became appealing me. She took note of my growing interest and one day handed me some extra copies of The Upper Room to take home. I quickly began looking forward to reading about how God was touching the lives of people throughout the world. I started my own subscription and have been reading it ever since. My mom went home to the Lord in April 2006.
In January 2013, following my father’s death, I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me about the many ways I have experienced God in my own life. The Spirit was prompting me to share these experiences with others, not only verbally but in writing. God was also using a 92-year-old Romanian friend to encourage me to write as well. God works in the funniest ways! I am an avid journal writer. I am not an author, nor a schooled writer. Nonetheless, I began to put pen to paper using The Upper Room format to guide me.
One of the first experiences God placed on my heart was from 16 years ago. The memory was still vivid and the lesson I learned was a powerful one. With my daughter’s childhood drawing of “The Man Who Was Willing” in front of me, I began to write. I was filled with comfort and peace. Sometime later, I felt led to submit this writing. It was a wonderful surprise to hear that it had been selected to print in this issue. I couldn’t help but think of my mom and that she would be tickled by this!
Looking back, I’ve realized that my mother’s example to me is the same example I have lived for my daughter. Throughout Emily’s entire life, she has seen me read The Upper Room. Every year at Christmas, I give copies of The Upper Room with a small gift to many of our friends and family. Our closest friends now expect to receive their traditional January-February issue each Christmas!
I am so grateful for God’s word and my personal relationship with the Lord. Experiencing God in my daily life is a beautiful blessing! God wants me to share these experiences with others, so I am continuing to write. I do not know where this may lead, but God does. If it can be used to bring glory to God or encourage a brother and sister in their walk with Christ or draw others to know our awesome God; then this is my prayer.
I hope you enjoyed reading “The Man Who Was Willing.”
God bless you![Kathleen Hoover]
The Author: Kathleen Hoover (California, USA)
Thought for the Day: In spite of our mistakes, God gives second chances.
Prayer: Dear God, help us to be generous and truly willing to help others in need. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those who serve the poor
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