Giving To The Lord

by G. Jarvie | Category: Training For Service | Jul 1961

The Christian is a new man with new thoughts (2 Corinthians 5.17). He has learned that life consists, not merely of receiving, but of giving, as the Lord Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20.85). As to ourselves, the Scripture says, "Ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6.19, 20). This is the foundation of all Christian giving, and the servant of Christ must yield himself to his Master, because he has been bought with His blood. Delivered from eternal death, he must now live unto Christ, who for his sake died and rose again (2 Corinthians 5.14, 15). This is the beginning of Christian service. We read of the believers in Macedonia, that "first they gave their own selves to the Lord" (2 Corinthians 8.1-5). Because they had first given themselves to the Lord, they then joyfully gave of their substance. The servant of Christ will learn from this. Happy is the man who has ceased to please himself, so that he can please Christ! That man has found true rest.

When we have given ourselves with joy to God, we shall begin to experience the joy of giving our substance.. David expressed the joy of this giving in 1 Chronicles 29. The servant of Christ should ponder this chapter well. Here we find the true heart of David revealed. After giving his all to God, he said, "All things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee" (verse 14). This is the true secret of giving, and the servant of Christ must learn it well. The portion of our substance that we give to the Lord will often be an indication to ourselves (for others will not know it) of the true measure of our love to the Lord. Giving to the Lord will wonderfully increase our joy in the Lord.

Our giving to the Lord should be a definite portion of our income, it should not be given at random. The servant of Christ should give "as he hath purposed in his heart," remembering that God is able to make all grace abound unto him (2 Corinthians 9.7, 8). He should also give " as he may prosper." The more he receives from the Lord, so much the more should he set apart to be given again to Him on the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16.2).

In the Old Testament, God's people were commanded to give the tithe (tenth) of all that God gave them (Leviticus 27.80-32). The Levites who received the tithe from the people, were to give to God, the tithe of what they received (Numbers 18.24-26). In so giving they were honouring God, from whom they had received all. The Lord promised to bless the people when they brought the whole tithe to Him (Malachi 3.10). God has not commanded us to bring any fixed portion today, but what He asked in the Old Testament has been a guide to many, and they have been blessed in so giving. We read in 2 Corinthians 9.6, 7 that" He that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully" and, "God loveth a cheerful giver." The servant of Christ should be careful to honour the Lord in this way (Proverbs 3.9, 10).

It is not only in giving a portion of what we receive, that we can glorify God; we can become His channels of giving to others. What we have, has been given to us so that we can use it in His service. It is evident that this is God's will for us. Only as we realize that we are the channels of God's giving, can He freely pour through us to others as He would. "Freely ye received, freely give," the Lord said to His apostles (Matthew 10.8). This is the lesson of the loaves. "Whence should we have so many loaves ... to fill so great a multitude ?" said the disciples (Matthew 15.33). Whence indeed unless they were provided by the Lord. The only limit of their giving was His resources, and they were limitless ! Foolish disciples ! to think that His great work among men could be limited to their small resources ! Their resources, like their thoughts, were small indeed.

So also are ours, until we realize that our giving is not really ours at all, but His giving through us. Only the tiniest part of the heat energy given forth from the Sun is used on the earth, and yet it sustains all the physical life here. Our Maker thus shows us something of His limitless resources in His creation.

0 servant of Christ! yield yourself unreservedly to Him, so that He may pour out again through you what He would give to others. Let us remember that at the most we can only be the channels of the blessing of God to others. Whether it be in the truth of God that He has shown us, or in the substance that He has given us, let it flow freely through us to others, for, " It is more blessed to give than to receive." Remember the promise, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure ..." (Luke 6.38).

G. Jarvie | Jul 1961
Training For Service