Sunday Thought

SUNDAY THOUGHT -11
Giving in Worship
 
When we think of 'giving' in relation to the worship, the first thing we are reminded of is the offering we give on Sundays. Well and good. In this article I would try to show few other important aspects of 'giving' in worship.
 
1. Giving our riches
 
Let us start with what we are familiar with: the offering we give in the time of worship. Almost every Sunday when the church gathers together, we collect the offering. People of God usually offer a small (or even big) amount of money. We consider that as our voluntary gift given to God from the riches he had given to us.   Many of us would think it is necessary to give the one tenth of our salary or income to God. That was the instruction God gave the people of Israel in the Old Testament. Giving the first fruits or the value of the first fruits to God is another instruction God gave them. We today try to follow those same instructions in the church. It is harmless. But Jesus assessed true giving based on how much is left with you after you gave to God. Jesus evaluation of the widow who gave two mites to God proves this (Mark 12:42). In giving our riches to God, David sets before us the right approach.   In 1 Chronicles 22, we read about this. David says, "all that is in heaven and earth is yours… both riches and honor come from you… all things come from you, and of your own we have given you… all this abundance .. is from your hand and is all your own" (v. 10-16). So, in giving our riches in worship, it is not how much we give that matter, rather, our attitude in giving. Paul teaches that we might give willingly, voluntarily and cheerfully and as one purposes in his/her heart (not based on any compulsion) to God (2 Corinth. 9).  Giving our riches to God is anexpresssion of our willing honoring God. When it is done as part of our worship it is indeed beautiful!
 
2. Giving our glory.
 
Different vocabularies we use to express our attitude to God in Worship. Honor, magnify, ascribe majesty, praise are among them. 'Giving glory' is a usual term we use and we see used in the Psalms in worshipping God.  'Giving glory' means 'giving due weight and significance to'.  This is another important aspect we need to note in worship. We do have our weight and significance in the realm of our occupations. But when we keep that our 'glory' before God in worship, which becomes a unique way to honor God. In Psalm 29:1-3 the saint tells us the same. 'Give unto the Lord the glory due to his name…' because he is the God of (means 'to whom it belongs') glory.         
 
3. Giving our selves
 
In Worship, it is not that we come and praise God with His people and get back to our activities. Each worship day is a time to pay our homage to God and renew our submission to serve Him for the rest of the week. Both giving our riches and giving our glory are the result of giving our selves to God. It is important to observe that the psalms which calls God's people to worship Him, gives the call to serve him as well (eg. Psalm 100:2). The saints in Macedonia 'first gave themselves to the Lord and then to us by the will of God' Paul says in 2Cor. 8:1, 5. Giving our selves to God is the epitome act in worship. This is exactly the same idea Paul communicated when he called us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God (Rom. 12:1). Giving our selves include a conscious effort to mind daily the things that are of value before God. In Jesus' words, this is what 'seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness' means. 'Setting our minds on the things that are above' is what Paul says about this (Colo.3:1-4). When we give our selves to god in worship, then we are receiving the ability to count on the authority of the Lord over our daily lives. Then, a true life of discipleship becomes possible.
 
Giving our riches; Giving our weight and significance; giving our selves.  Worship is the time for that. When we prepare to worship God this week, may we let give these to God in honor of God and as the expression of our submissiveness to Him!

Yours in The gloriuos ministry of God
Joji George Abraham