Making Room
Written By : Pastor John Fair
We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. 8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. (2Corinthians 8:1-9)
Stewardship of treasure is not a financial issue. It’s not a matter of how much or little you have. It is a spiritual issue. It is a matter of the heart. The secret of finding purpose and fulfillment in stewardship is in settling the issue of lordship: Who is master of your heart? Don’t give 5 cents or $1,000 to the Lord until you are clear about what is in your heart. Are you giving out of obligation? Or are you giving out of GRACE like the Macedonian Christians? Do your money (and your bills) control you so that you have no freedom in your life to decide how to handle your money? Or are you clear about how it all belongs to God and are MANAGING YOUR FINANCES, motivated first and foremost by what is in your heart as molded by His Word? What is your purpose and intention with life—and your money?
Unless we, like the Macedonian Christians, look to God’s GRACE—to the riches we’ve been given at Christ’s expense—we will always find ourselves controlled by fears and doubts about God’s willingness to sustain us in faith and in life.
God’s grace does frees us. By God’s grace, you and I are freed from doubts and fears to serve and give, and that brings purpose and fulfillment to life! It is God who has taken away your sins and freed you to be one of His children. God has freely done this for you through the outstretched arms of Christ on the cross, where the guilt of all your sins and failures—your wretchedness—were put to rest. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace,” Paul writes in Ephesians.
Therefore you belong to Him. He will provide for you. You don’t have to keep looking around for answers, for signs, for assurances that things will be okay. God has provided a wonderful alternative—Jesus. As you focus your heart on Jesus and the riches of God’s grace that are yours because of what Christ has accomplished, you will find that you are freed to serve and give. Give yourself first to the Lord, and by His grace He will lead you to give generously.