Daily Devotions, Nov 9 -12
Practicing Extravagant Generosity – Week Four
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Through God’s Eyes
The Word:
“Don’t become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit in without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.”
— Romans 12:1-2, The Message
Reflection:
While my husband was serving in the United States Navy he was stationed in Rhoda, Spain. The service men and women were encouraged to live in the com-munity rather than on base. Bob would tell stories of those days he spent in Spain and the differences between life there and life in the United States. He said the most important lesson he learned during those years came from living in a country ruled by a fascist dictator. Though he lived and worked in that culture he remained an American. As a real estate broker I often met people from different countries as well as other parts of the United States who needed help to understand the dif-ferences here in Houston, Texas from where they were accustomed to living.
Paul was teaching the early churches that being followers of Jesus was like living in a foreign country. Although they needed to live and work among those who did not follow Jesus they were not to follow their customs. Paul did not want them to forget who they were following. Those who follow Jesus are to be ‘lights in the world’– to speak and live a God-related life style. A culture based on idolatry, consumerism and materialism produces people who are anxious, conflicted and unhappy. This is a spiritually corrosive belief system that leads to discontentment, discouragement and unhappiness. “At some point, followers of Jesus must decide whether they will listen to the wisdom of the world or to the wisdom of God.” The language and culture of God is in His extravagant love for us in the gift of his only Son. Following Jesus means we should be loving and generous in the living of our lives.
Which culture do you live in, God’s or that of the popular culture?
What culture do you represent to the world? Do people see and hear a passionate, generous disciple of God, a follower of Jesus?
Or do they see someone else?
Pray:
Wise and loving God, I want to open my heart to you first, last and always. Guide me so that I walk your way, speak your way and live your way. In the name of your Son, Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth and Life, amen.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
The Old Life and the New Life
The Word:
“You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire…. So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in a wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline…. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic all purpose garment. Never be without it.”
—- Colossians 3:9, 12, 14, The Message
Reflection:
This has been a difficult year for trees in southeast Texas because of a colder than usual winter followed by a severe drought. Trees that were pruned properly, fed, mulched and watered—in other words nurtured, managed to survive. Churches and their ministries also need pruning, feeding, i.e. nourishing to continue to change lives. Programs need to be assessed, traditions evaluated and ministries reviewed to determine if they are meeting the needs of the people, of the church and community right now. Sometimes it is necessary to “retire” a program, revise a church tradition, or discontinue a ministry that is no longer relevant. Extravagantly generous churches are not stagnant; they are vibrant and living extensions of Christ’s ministry and teaching, reaching out to the world today. We are called to be fruitful, producing good fruit that reflects God’s goodness to the world. Fruitful and productive followers of Jesus have changed lives and work to change the lives of others for the better. The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. To produce this fruit we must prune anger, enmity, dissensions, envy, greed, fear and selfishness from our lives. To become more joyful, patient, kind, faithful and generous individuals requires careful nurturing of “young” or new followers of Jesus. What changes do you need make in your life to produce “good fruit”? What are some ways you can be extravagantly generous in providing nourishment to those new to the church or faith?
Pray:
Dear God, prune from my life those things which do not bear the good fruit of the Spirit. Train me to grow in love, faithfulness and generosity that you may be glorified by the bountiful harvest of good fruit from the True Vine, which is Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, amen.
Friday, November 11, 2011
One of My Own
The Word:
“This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way…”
— 2 Corinthians 9:11, The Message
Reflection:
The Presbyterian tradition with which I am familiar calls an entire congregation to stand with parents presenting their children for baptism. As individuals the con-gregation affirms that they will assist the parents in raising the child in the Reformed faith. Therefore we are all ‘God parents’. Since I had a sister and a brother who my children called Aunt and Uncle, I did not want to identify non-relatives by those titles. However we had friends in the church with which we had very closer relation-ships. To emphasis the special nature of these relationships we called the adults the children’s God-mother and ‘God-father. During a conference about 15 years ago one of my sons in describing a situation involving our friends made the statement, “…and my God-sister told me that…….” In puzzlement, the woman listening turn-ed to me and asked, “what church did you say you belonged to?” I then explained that when our children were young they decided that if someone was their ‘God- mother, then it followed that their daughter would be their ‘God-sister’. She thought this was a wonderful way to show love to friends and include them as extended family. To this day our children maintain close relationships with each other and continue to refer to one another as ‘God-sister’ and ‘God-brother. How amazing it is that God’s extravagantly generous love works in our lives and through our lives and with good humor!
Have you formed lifelong relationships through involvement in church?
Do you think of the children of our church as being your God-children?
We provide for the futures of our children and grandchildren, we should also provide for the future of our church family—our God-family. What provisions can you make today that will support your church family in the future?
Pray:
Dear God, who is parent to us all through your Son, Jesus Christ I give you thanks and praise for all you have provided to me and my family. Show me how you would have me be caring and generous to the family I have in your church. Amen.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Generous Congregations
The Word:
“What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God.”
— Acts 20:24, The Message
Reflection: We all have made mistakes, missed opportunities and had regrets. I suppose that is just part of being human. Fortunately for us, God has a way of giving us second, third and sometimes fourth or fifth chances to commit ourselves to His will. Without some failure we can not progress in life. Many life stories about successful people include tales of failed relationships or businesses, rejection and missed or ignored opportunities. Only Jesus was a complete success from the start.
Perseverance is necessary for humans to succeed. To follow Jesus not only requires perseverance but faith in God’s extravagant generosity. It is not enough that God loves us or that we love God. To succeed in the practice of extravagant generosity, we must love God with all our heart, all our mind, all our ability and above all else. The Good News is that God gives us many chances for success. How incredibly generous is that? Extravagant I would say.
Sharing this Good News is the primary task of all those who follow Jesus. What is even more good news is that each of us can use our own talents, skills or gifts in the ways that not only glorify God, but that are unique to us. Whatever you do, if you do it for the purpose of extending God’s extravagant generosity to the world then you will find success—the success of being an extravagantly generous follower of Jesus.
What do you do to further the ministry and life of the church? How can you do more? What more should you do?
Pray:
My God, You sent your only Son to redeem me from my sins; there is no other gift as extravagant. Help me to search myself and be open to all the ways that I may share with the world your incredibly extravagant generosity. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer, amen.
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