Good Morning MABC!
Was thinking about the fifty-seven cents that started a movement with Temple Baptist Church from yesterday’s message. Fifty-seven cents doesn’t get you much today. Every once and a while I will feel the need for something sweet when I stop to get a fountain drink at QuikTrip and will get a Chick O Stick…not the full size one but about a two bite size. I think it costs fifty-five cents. Around the time of our story of the little girl and her fifty-seven cents, she probably could have bought 57 peppermint sticks with her money. For a little girl living in the tenement of Philadelphia that would have been as good as gold. However, she had her mind set on something more important than the satisfaction of a candy stick. She had her mind on others.
I then got to thinking about another child offering up what little he had. Jesus was teaching on the far side of Galilee. A large crowd had followed him and it was getting late. Jesus turned to Philip and asked where they could buy enough food to feed them. Philip said “no, way Jose! We could work months and wouldn’t be able to afford food that much food.” Andrew then says that there is a boy with five loaves of bread and a couple of fish but then commented what good is that? Well, if we have read the story in John you know that Jesus took what the boy offered and fed 5,000 men plus who knows how many women and children.
Or what about the young girl in Nazareth? She was seemingly insignificant because everybody knows that nothing good comes from Nazareth! She had caught the eye of one man though. Joseph saw something in her that would make a good wife. God saw something even greater in Mary and chose her to be the mother of His son. Mary had a hard time comprehending how it could happen because she was “inexperienced” in that area. The angel said she had found favor with the Lord. Mary then gave the greatest gift she could give. She had no money, nothing of material value but she gave her life. In Luke 1 she says, I am the Lord’s servant.” Mary even refers to herself as a lowly servant girl (Luke 1:48).
The greatest thing we can offer up to the Lord is ourselves. He doesn’t need our financial offerings. In Psalm 50:12 he tells us that everything in the world is his already. If he can create the earth and everything in it, I am absolutely sure he could make a little more money if he needed. Our government does it all the time! God wants you…all of you! He wants you to love him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength (Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). If you love the Lord, he wants you to serve him with all your heart and soul (Deut. 11:13).
What do you have today to offer to the Lord?
Remember this week I will be in the office around 10:00 am until 2:00 pm today and on Wednesday. Sherry and I will be gone this Sunday. Have a great week! Tell Pastor Fred “hi” for me!
P.R.
