Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
November 26, 2023
Luke 21:1-4
1 Looking up, Jesus saw rich people throwing their gifts into the collection box for the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow throw in two small copper coins worth a penny. 3 He said, “I assure you that this poor widow has put in more than them all. 4 All of them are giving out of their spare change. But she, from her hopeless poverty, has given everything she had to live on.”
Good Morning. Blessed beyond measure
“Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, but Give to God what belongs to God.” Each year, we have several opportunities to care for those in need. We give from our abundance, whether it is giving food, clothing, or monetary donations. I have seen many iterations of this process.
Too often, we are more like the rich people Jesus describes because we only give what is extra. We give things or amounts that we didn’t need anyway, so we never even notice that it's gone. Imagine being the poor widow for a moment. She gave everything she had. How could she do this? How will she sustain herself without these two coins to buy bare essentials?
She gives through her great faith that God will care and provide for her. Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
During this season of giving, consider making a difference in the lives of the least of these.
Give not out of your excess, but give out of your blessings. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35
Gracious God, Thank you for this beautiful gift of life. Help us to become cheerful givers. May we give to others as you have given to us. Thank you in the name of Jesus. Amen
Thought for the day: We always have something to give.
Blessed are those who give generously! Pastor Liz
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