July 20 Honored Offering

Luke 21:1-4 As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.  3 “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
 
OUR Master Teacher moves from defending the widows who were cheated by the temple authorities to honoring a poor widow’s offering.
    But do you find it odd, even rude that Jesus watched the offerings? What would you do if he watched over your offering?  Would you be offended, even embarrassed? Or would you be blessed?
    I pray you are blessed as you give back to God a portion of what he has given to you. I pray your offering reflects your worship of the Lord of Hosts. The Son of God, who stood in the temple court that day, has spoken all creation into existence. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Son of Man, who will come on the clouds in judgment and salvation. He is the source of all life. He always watches your offering, not interested in your money but desiring your faithful heart to trust him, not your bank account, for your life. Your Great Provider wants to see the evidence of your faith and love in him as he urges in Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”
    Yes, the Lord wants your heart. This is not about the money. The widow sacrificially gave herself to the Lord. She trusted his provision within her poverty. See, then, how Jesus blessed the one who loves God, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all the others.”
    Remember in our last lesson we talked of our need to be loved, honored and recognized. We said this begins when you look to God to see how he so richly loves and values you. This is what the widow did. The worshipful widow knew true value was in the Lord. She obeyed the Living Word. And he honored her among her peers in the temple court.
 
Prayer: Lord God, I sacrificially give you my offerings to you. I pray I know you are more valuable to me than my bank account. Amen.