God has given us many precious gifts: His covenant word and promises, salvation and eternal life through His Son, new life in Him through His Spirit and relationships with whom we can experience life and love. He, therefore, looks for how we express gratitude by giving back to Him—or giving forward to others.
Yes, God’s principle of sowing and reaping teaches us that as we give back to God we inherently sow forward; investing in our future. It helps us be conscious of our dependence on God and need to trust Him for more. It also helps us practice good stewardship and faithfulness, and suppress tendencies to hoard out of greed, lust or fear of lack.
RELEVANCE
David truly had a heart of gratefulness. He acknowledged God as sovereign, and therefore, His source and sufficiency. In Psalm 24, he declares, “The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness” (Psalm 24:1).
Peter affirmed that God has given to us “everything we need for life and godliness, through our knowing the One who called us to his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3 JNT). For this reason the LORD taught about the blessings of giving to others from a heart of gratefulness; and in faith, believing that God would multiply whatever you give.
“Give, and you will receive gifts — the full measure, compacted, shaken together and overflowing, will be put right in your lap. For the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure back to you” (Luke 6:38 JNT)!
Giving to others truly prepares the heart to receive back from God. Out of gratefulness and in faith, we therefore, dedicate a portion of the first fruits of what God has given to us back to Him; not in mere duty or obligation, but in love.
REFLECT AND RELATE
In what ways do you freely give back to God a portion what He has given to you?
What are some additional ways you can bless others as God blesses you?
How do you demonstrate your trust in God’s provision for the future?
REFERENCES
Matthew 19:21; 25:37; Luke 3:11; Acts 20:35