The Upper Room Daily Devotionals in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "GIVING FROM THE HEART" for Saturday, 29 October 2016 with Scripture: Luke 21:1 Then Yeshua looked up, and as he watched the rich placing their gifts into the Temple offering-boxes, 2 he also saw a poor widow put in two small coins. 3 He said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 For they, out of their wealth, have contributed money they could easily spare; but she, out of her poverty, has given all she had to live on.”Forty years ago, when I lived in the United States, I learned about an organization that helped poor children all over the world. But as a single mother of three, I myself was too poor to make a contribution. Then in 1976, God called me back to Iceland to teach the Bible here. We were still poor, but in 1978 God made it possible for me to be a sponsor for children around the world. The first child I sponsored was a girl from India. Since then I have sponsored children in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Rwanda, Barbados, Thailand, as well as on Native American reservations.
At age 77, I still sponsor four children, though I have lived on disability since 1985. I am encouraged by today’s reading in which Jesus teaches us that it’s not the size of the gift that matters to God but the generosity of the giver’s heart. My small contribution sustains two children in Uganda for a whole month! I contribute what I can, and I thank God for the joy I receive from helping these children.
The Author: Sonja R. Haralds (Iceland)
Thought for the Day: God makes all things possible.
Prayer: Dear Lord, do not let us forget the hungry people in this world, but help us to remember that even small contributions can make a big difference. Amen.
Prayer focus: CHILDREN WHO ARE HUNGRY
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