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Theo Tigno•
6/18/2003 6:37 am
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Wednesday, June 18th 2003 |
2 Corinthians 9: 6-11
Brothers and sisters, consider this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written:
He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.
The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
You are being enriched in every way for all generosity, which through us produces thanksgiving to God.
Dawg's thought:
Today's prayer intention is in thanksgiving for mothers who have carried their child full term and for an end to the desire of getting an abortion.
I'm sure we've all dreamt of it sometime: if I won the lottery, how would I spend it? Who would I spend it on? What would I buy? Would you spend it on your family? Would you spend it on your friends? Would you spend it on the poor? Regardless of how you spend it, you can choose to share your wealth or hoard the wealth to yourself. Most of us know that if you had that much wealth, you could never spend it all yourself. You need to share it.
We have the winning lottery ticket.
During a recent Third Day / Michael W. Smith concert, they asked, "What is the most important thing in your life?" They brought up all kinds of answers from cars to careers. Yet, I knew my answer the minute the question was done: my faith. There is nothing more important to me.
After they had us ponder that question, the next thing they talked about was giving that "thing" back to God. At first I thought to myself, "but it's God's; why do I have to give it back." Then I realized how I needed to give it back.
1. Simply living the Gospel
This is always at the forefront of evangelization. We sow through our actions. If we live our lives not obedient to God's will, how can anyone else see the goodness of being obedient to The Lord? If we do not believe that following Christ can change lives, how can anyone else believe this as well? If we do not believe that Christ can changes lives, then we have no right evangelizing this Truth.
We must accept and live this in our life. I can say with credibility that Honda Civics are good cars to drive because I drive one. If I told you how good God is, would you be able to see it in my actions? My hope is yes, because I know that God has done many marvelous things with this broken vessel.
Hopefully my life reflects what is most important to me: my faith.
2. Continuing to open my heart to His grace
We cannot live the Gospel if we do not know Christ. If you open your heart, you will continue to see the goodness God has given you and the goodness God has in store for you.
We know love because God, who is Love, has loved us first. It's the same way we learn how to love through our parent's example. God continues to love us every second, so we must be open to receiving His love every second. He loves us by giving us our trials in order that we may grow closer to Him. He loves us by giving us our faith so that we may constantly put our trust in Him. He loves us by giving us hope so that we may constantly hope in Him alone.
He gives us His body. He gives us His word. He gives us community, The Church. We have these wonderful gifts, and God, in His infinite wisdom, continues to shower these gifts down. Open your heart to God's graces and trust in His bountiful love and mercy.
3. Leading His people back to Him
Here is your daily challenge of the day: how are you leading people back to Christ? How complacent have you grown in your faith? Let this be part of your prayer life this day.
My your lives be an arrow pointing to the Lord, so that through your "yes," glory, praise and thanksgiving may be given to The Lord. Take care and God Bless.
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