Jason Chatraw: Let us empty ourselves and be filled with God’s love

“I believe one of the great lyricists of the 21st century, Switchfoot’s Jonathan Foreman, makes the brilliant observation (and rails against) that so many in the Western world ascribe to: “Success is equated with excess.” This is not the way God’s Kingdom works, yet we continue to try to make God conform to the world’s ways.

In essence, what we’ve done is crowd God out of the picture. A burning love for God is replaced with a busy church schedule. A passion to be the hands and feet of Jesus finds no room in our hearts as we tie our hands behind our backs with a mounting to-do list. We work hard to present a bountiful basket to the Lord when all he’s looking for are hands that are empty from serving.

We must move from a place where we attempt to “possess God” to a posture of allowing His Holy Spirit to inhabit us. Our souls enter a period of darkness because we have blocked any possible entry of light with clutter. We must remove those things that keep our hearts from connecting with God and our perspective must be radically changed.

God is not looking for us to bring Him something; rather, He desires for us to take something from Him—His love. For when we understand the essence of God’s love and allow its light to penetrate our hearts, the things of importance in this world fade away and our perspective is forever changed. What used to be important to us before we made room for God to pierce us in this manner becomes meaningless.”

Eric Sandras and Jason Chatraw, Mystics, Mavericks, and Miracle Workers: a 30-day journey (Boise: Ampelon, 2007) 129.

“Avarice, greed, concupiscence and so forth are all based on the mathematical truism that the more you get, the more you have. The remark of Jesus that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35) is based on the human truth that the more you give away in love, the more you are. It is not just for the sake of other people that tells us to give rather than get, but for our own sakes too.”

Frederick Buechner, Listening to your Life: Meditations with Frederick Buechner (New York: HarperCollins, 1992) reading for July 3.

“So, what needs to happen in your heart and mind if you’re not generous, if you tend to be afraid of sharing your possessions with others?

If you feel afraid of giving generously, you need to consider how much God has loved you, you who have nothing to bring to him to deserve his generosity. His love is so complete for you that he has adopted you as his own child. As this Gospel truth-once you were destitute, but now you have been made whole-becomes more of a reality to you, the more you’ll want to alleviate the burdens of others with the resources you’ve been given.”

Corey Jackson in “Sharing our Possessions” blogpost on June 21, 2011.

…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control… Galatians 5:22-23 (NRSV)

“God has been unceasing and extravagant in his gifts to us…We are given the fruit of the Spirit to give out of love rather than out of pride or guilt.”

Howard Freeman, “God’s Generous Gift of the Spirit” in The Redeemer Report, a publication of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, May 2010.

“One of the greatest gifts we can give others is ourselves.”

Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) in Bread for the Journey entry for April 14 (SanFrancisco: Harper, 1997).

There is nothing we have
that we have not received;
all we have and are belong to God,
bought with the blood of Jesus.


To spend everything on ourselves,
and to give without sacrifice
is the way of the world
that the Father cannot abide.

But generosity is the way of those
who call Christ their Lord;
who love him with free hearts,
and serve him with renewed minds;
who withstand the delusion of riches
that chokes the word;
whose hearts are in heaven, and not on earth.


We are determined to increase in generosity
until it can be said
that there is no needy person among us.


We are determined to be faithful stewards
of such a little thing as money
that Christ may trust us with true riches.


Above all things, we are determined to be generous
because our Father is generous.

It is the delight of His daughters and sons
to share their Father’s traits,
and to show what He is like to all the world.

To learn more about Trinity Grace Church, visit:
http://trinitygracelife.com/post/7505289989/generosity-liturgy

“God’s grace does not terminate in the recipient, but it is to be reproduced in generosity. This is the “proof of love” and of obedience to the confession of Christ through the gospel.” (cf. 2 Cor 8:8, 24)

Paul Barnett, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997) 448-449.

“Because men believe not in Providence, therefore they do so greedily scrape and hoard. They do not believe any reward for charity, therefore they will part with nothing. They do not hope for succour from God, therefore are they discontent and impatient. They have nothing to raise their spirits, therefore are they abject.”

Isaac Barrow (1630-1677) English Christian Theologian and Mathematician in The Works of Isaac Barrow (New York: John C. Riker, 1845) 178.

“Our culture today is miles away from being willing to share everything we have. Instead we patent everything and assert our ownership of even the smallest things.

Case in point: MGM Studios has actually patented the sound the lion makes at the beginning of their films. Who knew you could own the sound of an animal…

The Early Church realized that everything they had was a gift that they were to steward. They learned to hold on to their possessions with a loose hand allowing them to use their things for the good of others.

Not only did they mentally understand that God has ultimate ownership, their hearts were changed motivating them to living that way.” (cf. Acts 2:42-47)

Bob Wollam in the Think Sheet entitled “Generosity: Churches That Change Things, June 17, 2012.

Largely Thou givest, gracious Lord.
Largely Thy gifts should be restored;
Freely Thou givest, and Thy word
Is, “Freely Give.”
He only, who forgets to hoard
Has learned to live.

John Keble (1792-1866) Anglican churchman and poet in The Christian Year, reading for the Sunday after Ascension.