Expand Devotion/Prayer Day 9

Touching All the Bases: Reaching First

Have you ever watched a tee-ball game where the children are just beginning to learn baseball? Have you ever seen a child so excited to hit the ball off the tee that the youngster runs directly to third base, then races back to home plate to score?

Too often we think of giving to the church as a financial decision, rather than a stewardship decision. We shortcut the ground rules, like the child running directly to third. As a result, we may make a donation to the church, but we do not make a stewardship commitment. To make a stewardship decision, we have to go all the way around and touch all the bases. Reaching first means making a faith decision before we even consider the financial aspect of our giving. Reaching first means calling to account your life of faith before doing any financial accounting.

In 2 Corinthians 8:5, Paul says of the Macedonian church, “they gave of themselves first to the Lord, and then to us in keeping with God’s will.” Getting to first means determining your commitment level before deciding your financial position. Making a stewardship decision means responding to a deeper calling, not reacting to a quick accounting.


Expand Story From The Front Line: On Sunday a 5th grade boy heard Clint, our children's pastor, teaching on why we should give back to God and what it means for all of us to give what God has asked us to give toward our Expand Adventure. That afternoon the boy went home and told his mom that he felt as though God was asking him to sacrifice and sell his 4-wheeler that that never gets used and stays parked at his grandfathers barn. After making sure this is what he wanted to do....the single mom and her son are spending some time cleaning it up and then selling it so that they have a sacrificial gift to bring on Sunday. WOW.....The faith of a child. It is pure and undaunted. It does not fear...only trust.

Bible Verse

"Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

PRAYER

Lord, first let me give myself to You, and then let my decisions grow out of what I believe…and out of what You call me to be.

Sundays message is on line at www.charlottesouth.org