Giving

by Communicated by JAS. MARTIN | Category: For Young Believers | May 1956

THE SACRIFICE OF GIVING.

Proverbs 3.9. "Honour the LORD with thy substance,

And with the first fruits of all thine increase."

Very pointedly will this aspect of the subject strike the child of God when he considers the meaning of " sacrifice." The original word means "the taking of life." Abraham was prepared to offer up his only son, Isaac, and to sacrifice him on the altar on Mount Moriah. David wrote in Psalm 51.17:

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:

A broken and a contrite heart,

0 God, Thou wilt not despise" .

At the dawn of the Christian era the Christians "sold their possessions and goods, and parted them all" (Acts 2. 43-47). Romans 12.1-3 would again remind us that our bodies should be presented ... "a living sacrifice." We shall be able to judge more accurately the extent or sacrifice if we measure what is left after our giving. (See Luke 21.)

Reference was' made to David's question, "Shall I give unto the LORD that which has cost me nothing?"

When we lay our lives alongside those of the God-fearing men of old, it is very evident that there is much more need of sacrifice in our giving.

The inlaid-work that beautified the house of God required, first of all, a "cutting-out" before there was any "inlaying." Our God gave His all in the gift of His beloved Son for us. "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor that ye through His poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8. 8, 9).

THE JOY OF GIVING.

"It is more blessed to give than to receive." Blessedness is joy! God is happy in giving to us; similarly, we experience joy in giving unto Him. The degree of our joy is governed by (1) our motive in giving, (2) our manner of giving; and (3) the extent of our giving. Admittedly, degrees of joy vary. The following stages of joy are suggested :-

(1)The joy that comes by fulfilling our obligations in giving. In this we are merely doing what we are required to do.

(2)In Exodus 25 we read of those who gave willingly. They responded to a need which was made evident to them. We have also been reminded of the early Christians who responded to the need of poor saints in Jerusalem. This brings a joy of a higher kind.

(3) We may give to the Lord that which we love dearly. Hannah gave Samuel, the son for whom she prayed so fervently. This surely entails sacrifice, and gives a resultant joy.

(4) We have been reminded of the widow, who gave her "all" (Luke 21). This must give an even greater compensating joy.

(5) Fruitful labour brings joy.

(6) Romans 12.1-8 presents a degree of self-surrender that must result in much joy to the giver.

(7) No giving can excel, or even reach, the joy or delight that was the Lord's in the giving of Himself. From 2 Corinthians 9. 10, 11 we may also learn that joy can be instilled into the heart of the recipient as well as enjoyed by the giver.

Communicated by JAS. MARTIN | May 1956
For Young Believers