But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 1 Chronicles 29:14
“We do not give to God a fraction of that we possess, but we loyally acknowledge God’s sovereignty over the whole. Just now the Church has no bigger need than to have Christian men [and women] face this question.”
Harris Franklin Rall as quoted in the opening of “Study Four” of The New Christian: Studies in Stewardship by Ralph S. Cushman (New York: Centenary Conservation Committee, Methodist Episcopal Church, 1919) 52.
Rall rightly states that when we think of giving as sending a percentage of what we possess to God, we are thinking about it all wrong. Instead, when we acknowledge God’s sovereignty over everything, like David, we exhibit generosity.
So what does it mean to “acknowledge” God’s sovereignty. If I work at a ministry and acknowledge a gift, it means in return for that gift, I send a receipt letter. If someone sends a gift of $100, they don’t get an acknowledgement receipt for $5 or $10, do they?
Rall and Cushman argue that most acknowledge only a small portion of God’s sovereignty, and I think they are right. For us to “acknowledge” God’s sovereignty over the whole of life, we must not say that it is true but show that is true with appropriate action in return.
How do we do this? God doesn’t want a fraction of our lives to acknowledge His sovereignty. He wants all we are and all we have to shout of His greatness and abundant generosity!