Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19
“Our Lord Jesus is ever giving, and does not for a solitary instant withdraw His hand. As long as there is a vessel of grace not yet full to the brim, the oil shall not be stayed. He is a sun ever-shining; He is manna always falling round the camp; He is a rock in the desert, ever sending out streams of life from his smitten side; the rain of His grace is always dropping; the river of His bounty is ever-flowing, and the well-spring of his love is constantly overflowing. As the King can never die, so His grace can never fail. Daily we pluck His fruit, and daily His branches bend down to our hand with a fresh store of mercy.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon in Morning and Evening: Daily Readings (Grand Rapids: CCEL) reading for 16 May.
Our trek through Paul’s letters afresh brings us to 1 Timothy and one of my favorite texts, the command to the rich. It’s not a suggestion. It points the way to life. We are commanded not to idolize comfort or serve as containers but be conduits of blessing as never fails to fills us with a fresh store.
Today, Spurgeon gives us so many word pictures that illustrate this. Manna falling, grace dropping, rivers flowing, and even wells overflowing. Each one shouts of God’s abundance. So why do we hoard it? We fear we will end up empty. But we are commanded to give so that we learn by experience that He will re-supply.
If you are looking for a place to be generous this year, as the rich have gotten richer, and the poor are needing help and service more than ever. Give to GTP. Click here to see how your gift will keep on giving to help add staff to empower national workers around the world to grow local giving.
And do this with thankfulness in your heart for how abundantly God has blessed you. As He never fails to provide a fresh store, I pray you give more generously than ever and see what happens. To grasp life in the process is to discover by doing it that participating in dispensing His fruits is why we are on this round ball called earth.