a glimpse towards Sunday 7.31.15
What affects our behavior? Why do I brush my teeth twice in the morning, and only once before bedtime? Why is my “Happy, Happy, Happy” coffee mug the only mug for me? Why do I do all the quirky things I do?
Earlier this summer, my family was serving at a church camp in Ohio. One of the adult faculty members began telling us the difficult season she and her husband suddenly found themselves in. The husband was battling cancer, and their financial picture had been crushed. He could no longer work, they had moved out of their house into an apartment, and the prospects of staying there looked dim as well.
The rest of the camp faculty gathered, prayed, and decided to take up an offering. Part of our adult faculty featured many sold-out-for-Jesus teenagers. Even the teens gave what they could. We were able to bless this family with a couple thousand dollars. It was a cool, Kingdom thing.
Kevin, the camp faculty member who was in charge of collecting and counting this special offering, was blown away by the giving of many teenagers. Kevin said one kid just handed him a giant wad of money. “I’m sure it was all he had,” remarked Kevin.
Just yesterday Kevin called me. As we were talking, he said, “Hey, I’ve got a little story for you. You remember me telling you about the kid who gave a wad of money? That kid was yours. It was Michael. I just thought you should know.”
I had to wipe a few tears as I said goodbye and hung up the phone.
What caused Michael to give? What prompted his behavior?
Why do we give? Why do we serve? Why do we work at F.I.A.s? It’s not to gain our salvation. We don’t serve to be accepted. We are accepted and so we serve.
And there it is. The incredibly good news of Gospel acceptance should cause radical behavior in all our lives. Because the curse of sin and death has been cancelled, Jesus has taken on and defeated our sin, we are changed into new creations, hope is fully infused, our walk with God is restored, and someday we live again in the perfection of God’s paradise — maybe, just maybe, we should DO something!
It’s Jesus plus nothing equals everything. But because He gave everything and loved us first… we are prompted to live and do in return.
How has the Gospel prompted you lately?
On Sunday, we’ll begin to close out our dynamic Ragamuffin series. We’ll finish our study through Galatians in the next two weeks. This Sunday, we’ll be taking a good, close, practical, challenging look as to how we’re either living for NOW or for LATER.
I’m anxious to see you. There’s much the Lord is doing among us! There’s much the Lord wants us to BE & do! See you this weekend.
Blessings!
Weekly Giving | 7.26.15
$22,218.55
Weekly Need $33,000.00
