哥林多后书:8:1-5
“1弟兄们,我把 神赐给马其顿众教会的恩告诉你们, 2就是他们在患难中受大试炼的时候,仍有满足的快乐,在极穷之间还格外显出他们乐捐的厚恩。 3我可以证明,他们是按着力量,而且也过了力量,自己甘心乐意地捐助, 4再三地求我们,准他们在这供给圣徒的恩情上有分; 5并且他们所做的,不但照我们所想望的,更照 神的旨意先把自己献给主,又归附了我们。”
马其顿地区的信徒遭受了患难和大试炼,他们自己一贫如洗,却慷慨地捐助耶路撒冷贫穷的圣徒。这个景况正如主耶稣所称赞的那穷寡妇,自己不足,却把她一切养生的都投入殿库里。
照人来看,捐献出去,就是亏损。然而奉献财物并非遭受损失,乃是蒙了神的厚恩。也绝不是亏损,乃是有所得着。因为若非神的恩典,我们不能凭自己胜过钱财的控制, 当我们把财物献给神,自己的心也会归向神,属灵方面就更蒙恩了;同时,凡我们真诚为神所摆上的,都必蒙神记念、得祂赏赐。
‘更照神的旨意先把自己献给主’,我们人所要的,常常不过是神的平安与祝福。但神所要的,是人自己。财物奉献的属灵基础,就是先要把自己献给主;承认了主的权柄,然后才能跟随主的心意,去做主所要作的事。人若保留自己,便跟不上神的旨意,这在任何事上都是一样。
请大家祷告:
1)我们有一颗愿意的心,將自己真正献给神。
2)我们都有乐意奉献的心,为主的圣殿献上自己的一份。
主内
Yan Qi
2 Corinthians :8:1-5 Blessed are the cheerful givers
1And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.
Believers in Macedonia were under severe trial and extreme poverty, but they gave generously to the needed saints in Jerusalem. They did just like the poor widow, praised by Jesus, who offered everything she had to live on.
From world’s perspective, giving away your possession is a loss. From Word’s perspective, giving away is a gain of grace. If it is not by the grace of God, we cannot be freed from the control of our own money. When we put our belongings in front of God, our hearts will turn to God and receive spiritual blessings. Anything we offered with faith will be remembered by God and will be rewarded in heaven.
‘They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us’. What many of us want from God is peace and blessing. What God wants from us is ourselves. For our offerings to be pleased by God, first we need to offer ourselves to Him. Submit to God’s sovereignty, only then we can follow God’s will and do what He commands us.
Please Pray:
1) We have a willing heart to truly offer ourselves to God
2) We have a willing heart to offer for God’s building
In Christ,
Qi Yan