Living Generously
Tuesday March 24
James 5:1-6
Luke 6:20-21
Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Proverbs 11:24-25
One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
We are doing a Bible study of James and we just covered James 5:1-6 the other night. It talks about the judgment That is headed for rich people. How God sees all the times they are not generous.
Then yesterday during my reading was Proverbs 11: 24-25. And there’s the same idea slapping me in the face. Do I want to be a person who withholds from others? Or do I want to be a generous person, someone who refreshes others so they can be refreshed?
Then in today’s reading The beatitudes came up in Luke. And there’s the same idea.
It isn’t saying that working hard and acquiring wealth is a bad thing. I don’t think it is even fully referencing just having monetary riches. But what is it that I am doing with the riches God has blessed me with? Am I just looking inward and focusing on things? Even in the midst of a global crisis like we have right now, where is it exactly that I look for comfort and security: God or my riches?
I know that I am not enough. I know that the monetary riches as well as other areas I have been blessed are not from me and I cannot put my hope in them. All good things come from the Lord and I need to continue to have my eyes open for how I can bless others especially during times like this.
Praying around the clock: For Such a Time as this! #COVID19
With the current situation of things I keep thinking about how I can do God’s work during this time. We might be called to bring food or supplies to those who are in need and don’t have them at this time. I want to continue to be aware of the opportunities God may present for me to bless other people but for right now the only thing that I know I can do is pray.
This got me thinking about times in the Bible when people were faithful in praying. There are examples of when the Bible says that somebody’s prayer even changed God’s mind. There are also examples of when God responded by doing the prayer that was asked (1 Samuel 1:11, 1 Kings 19:20, Mark 5:23, Numbers 11:1-3 among MANY OTHERS). Is it possible that God was always willing to answer these prayers but maybe was waiting for someone to be faithful and actually pray about it?
I don’t want to ask God what I can do to help and serve him during these times and then not actually be willing to take a step of faith that maybe what God is calling me to do is to pray.
I felt my spirit stirred that there were times in the Bible when people were faithful in praying by doing so multiple times throughout the day. It is for that reason that I don’t want to just pray one time and let it go at that. I want to be someone who is faithful in praying for God to show up during this pandemic.
I have felt called to pray around the clock about this until I feel God telling me that I should not. So I have an alarm set on my clock for every hour, even during the night. I don’t know that I have amazing words to say but I want to be faithful in showing up for God. Maybe I don’t have the human solution for this crisis, but maybe for such a time as this, I am being called to be faithful in prayer.
Would you consider joining me in this commitment to faithfully praying for God to show up in the midst of this crisis? He may not show up and immediately wipe away this disease as I pray he will, but if we are faithful in asking for him to show up, I fully believe he will!