OUR DAILY BREAD : EXTRAVAGANT GIFTS

[cimi]

March 10
Sunday



READ:
Luke 21:1-4
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All these out of their
abundance have put
in offerings for God,
but she out of her
poverty put in all the
livelihood that she
had. __Luke 21:4
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When I was pastoring a small church, we faced a huge crisis. Unless we could complete the extensive renovations necessary to bring our building up to the proper safety codes, we would lose our place of worship. A desperate time of fundraising ensued to pay for those renovations; but of all the money given, one gift captured our leadership's attention.

An elderly woman in the church donated several hundred dollars to the project__money we knew she could not spare. We thanked her for her gift but wanted to return it, feeling that her needs were greater than the church's. However, she refused to take the money back. She had been saving for years in order to buy a stove and was cooking on a hot plate in the meantime. Yet she insisted that she needed a place to worship with her church family more than she needed a stove. We were astounded by her extravagant gift.

When our Lord observed a widow putting two mites (the smallest of coins) into the temple offerings, He praised her for her extravagance (Luke 21:3-4). Why? Not because of how much she gave, but because she gave all she had. It's the kind of gift that not only honors our God, but also reminds us of the most extravagant of gifts to us__Christ. __Bill Crowder

`````````What can I give Him, poor as I am?```````````````````
``````If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;```````````````
```````If I were a wise man, I would do my part;```````````````
```Yet what can I give Him__give my heart. __Rossetti``````````
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Gratitude of heart can often be seen
in a generous spirit.

******************Today's Bible Reading __ Luke 21:1-4********************

1 And He looked up and
saw the rich putting their
gifts into the treasury, 2 and
He saw also a certain poor
widow putting in two mites.

3 So He said, "Truly I say to
you that this poor widow
has put in more than all;

4 for all these out of their
abundance have put in
offerings for God, but she
out of her poverty put in all
the livelihood that she had."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Our gifts and offerings are a recognition of our dependence on God
and faith in His supply. Today's passage teaches us an important
principle for our giving. God is not impressed by the size of the gift
in the collection box or offering plate. He is impressed with the
heart of faith demonstrated by that gift. King David knew that a gift
to God that did not cost him was not an appropriate response to the
Lord's kindness and provision (2 Sam. 24:24). The costly gift of God's
Son deserves our sacrifice.