The Lutheran Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 24 June 2015 "God Pause Daily Devotion" Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:7 Just as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in diligence of every kind, and in your love for us — see that you excel in this gift too. 8 I am not issuing an order; rather, I am testing the genuineness of your love against the diligence of others. 9 For you know how generous our Lord Yeshua the Messiah was — for your sakes he impoverished himself, even though he was rich, so that he might make you rich by means of his poverty. 10 As I say, in regard to this matter I am only giving an opinion. A year ago you were not only the first to take action but the first to want to do so. Now it would be to your advantage 11 to finish what you started, so that your eagerness in wanting to commence the project may be matched by your eagerness to complete it, as you contribute from what you have. 12 For if the eagerness to give is there, the acceptability of the gift will be measured by what you have, not by what you don’t have. 13 It is not that relief for others should cause trouble for you, but that there should be a kind of reciprocity: 14 at present your abundance can help those in need; so that when you are in need, their abundance can help you — thus there is reciprocity. 15 It is as the Tanakh says,
"Now finish it!" Shauna painted with a team of high school missionaries at an orphanage in Mexico. They began together with paint, rollers, brushes and drop cloths, painting with gusto and enthusiasm—walls, ceilings, spiders, one another's arms and faces. Two hours later, Shauna painted alone. Everyone else had found "something else to do." Later, when Shauna needed aletter of recommendation, hers was easy to write. She was a finisher, one of the few who complete what they start.
“He who gathered much had nothing extra,
and he who gathered little had nothing lacking.”[2 Corinthians 8:15 Exodus 16:18][Complete Jewish Bible}
Paul encourages the church in Corinth to finish their stewardship campaign. They started with a flash last year, now they needed to finish big! (Talk is cheap without the real funds to show.) "Now finish it!" says Paul.
What have you started? How will your giving to ministry look this summer? Will you travel? Do you have automated tithing or checkless deduction set up? Does your estate planning include your faith priorities? How will you "finish?"
Dear God, please strengthen our resolve to faithfully support your work. Remind us of the enthusiasm we felt as we began our work together, and sharpen our vision of the satisfaction we will share in finishing strong. Amen.
Chris Kramer
Pastor, Nativity Lutheran Church
Bend, Ore.
Master of Divinity , 2007
2 Corinthians 8:7 Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.
8 I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others.
9 For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.
10 And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something—
11 now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means.
12 For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has—not according to what one does not have.
13 I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between
14 your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance.
15 As it is written, "The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little."[New Revised Standard Version]
____________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment