The Importance of Giving During a Financial Drought

Perhaps your state, like mine, has issued some sort of "stay at home order". Ours was issued about a week ago, and throughout this past week I have been hearing of more and more of my family, friends, and acquaintances who have had their income cut off or significantly diminished. This has even touched my own household, and has made me more thankful than ever for the blessing of my little income!

The truth is, we are in exactly the right position for our giving to accomplish what God intends it to. I know this topic is one that is annoying or offensive to many, but it is an important one, and the Bible has some greatly encouraging things to say about God's provision when we are using our money as He desires.

Now, I'm going to be totally honest with you: I'm terrible at remembering to put my tithe in the offering each month. It is a struggle to remember, and sometimes, --like this month-- it is nearly the end of the month before I finally get that check written and put in the offering. Part of that is because, as organist, I am often up front during the offering, but that's really no excuse. It's something I'm working on, but it takes intentional effort to remember. --So I understand that forgetting happens, especially during times like these where we are not meeting physically at church to be reminded by seeing the ushers walk to the front to take the offering. But that it why it is more important now than ever to remain faithful and make that extra effort to remember and follow through.

There are just two things I want to address here about giving: our responsibility and our faith.

Our Responsibility:

 Each one of us has a responsibility to do our part in supporting the local church. It's a bit like the offerings in the Old Testament. The offerings brought in were not all to be burnt to ashes. Many were meant to be used, at least in part, for the maintenance of the tabernacle or temple as well as for the sustenance of the priests. Nowadays, we don't have the same system, but giving in order to support both the work and the workers of the ministry is a New Testament principle as well.

Do you like meeting in a warm building? Do you appreciate having lights on and a sound system making it easier to hear the preaching? How about water so you can use the restroom or wash your hands or get a drink when you have a coughing fit? Are these things you enjoy? They are also things that cost money.

Does your church support missionaries? They are relying on God's people to be faithful in giving during this time so that they can continue to work for the furtherance of the gospel in countries that are being touched by this same crisis that we are facing. In a sense, your church is their "employer". Will you and your brothers and sisters in Christ be faithful, or will your missionaries face being laid off like so many in the secular workforce?

If everyone in a church were to do the bare minimum God requires and give just ten percent of their income, churches would be well provided for, and have the wherewithal to function and meet the needs they were designed to.

Has it ever occurred to you that God has a specific plan for the funds He desires you to give? Part of the joy of giving is the fact that none of it goes to waste: God has planned to use the money you give to meet specific needs. He is a God of detail and order, and knows exactly what He plans to do with your tithes and offerings.

But, you might be thinking, how can I give right now when there is such a strain on my finances? 

That brings us to faith.


Our Faith:
 
Not only do we have a responsibility to keep giving through whatever hardships God allows, we also have an opportunity to see the loving, gracious, generous hand of God that has already promised to meet our needs as we obey Him.

I read in my time with God this morning Luke chapter 5:1-16. It is the account of Peter and his fellow fisherman taking Jesus into their boat while he preached to a large crowd. When He had finished preaching, He told Peter to take the boat out into deep water and let down the nets. Peter's reply was

"Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at Thy word I will let down the net". 

 As I read, it struck me that Peter and the others had done all that they could do, to no avail. They had been utterly unsuccessful. I'm no expert on the fishing industry in Bible times, but it seems to me that for the fishermen back in Jesus' day, the formula looked something like:  no fish = no income.

Sound familiar? These fisherman had toiled, had worked their hardest all night long, but were faced with returning home empty handed. Yet, Peter did as Jesus said. Perhaps it was out of politeness or respect, perhaps it was to prove Jesus' plan would not work, perhaps it was with the smallest glimmer of hope that maybe there was some chance a fish might wander into the net --whatever his reason, Peter obeyed.  --And the result?


Fish.

Lots of fish.

So many fish that boat began to sink.


And Peter was brought face to face with the reality that God was standing before him. Struck by the consciousness of his own sin, Peter dropped to his knees, saying, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord". But Jesus told him not to be afraid, and commissioned him for a new calling.

I know this account isn't necessarily about giving, but it is about obedience, and obedience is at the heart of why we give. --And when we obey, God blesses.

This account of God's abundant provision in response to Peter's obedience reminds me of Malachi 3:10. Here, God literally tells the Israelites, "prove Me", that is, to try Him and see if He would do as He had always said He would if they were to obey.

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

God is saying that if Israel obeys and brings in all their tithes, He will provide so much that there will not be enough room for it all! (Remind you of Peter?)

Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that if you give lots, you will become a billionaire, but it does mean that God is faithful, and often uses our times of financial dearth as an opportunity for us to build our faith by "proving" that He really can and will provide as we obey.

Those of us who have made a "faith promise" commitment, this is where the "faith" part comes into play. If God prompted you to make the commitment in the first place, surely He has a plan to provide for you to be faithful now, when it matters most!

So, be faithful, whatever financial stresses you may face, because God is always faithful, and His resources are unlimited!

Bargain Hunting 101

During my reading time this week, I came across a list of bargain hunting tips I thought were quite good. The following are from Aged to Perfection: adding rustic charm to your modern home inside and out.

• Visit destinations frequently --I have found this to be quite a major factor. As I have been making regular trips to the thrift stores near me, I have not only found that I am less likely to buy something before it goes on sale (saving me some money!), but also that I have a better sense of what a good deal actually is at the thrift stores. Also, many thrift stores put out new items daily, so if there is something specific you are looking for, frequency can improve your chances of success. 

• Build relationships with stores and dealers: So far, I haven't really tried this one out. The idea is that as you go to thrift stores or antique dealers frequently, you can get to know them and build a relationship where they would be excited to call you up and let you know when they get just the right item in. At the thrift stores I go to, I can't quite see panning out, but who knows? --Right now, I'm pretty sure it's more like they see me walk in and think, "here's that crazy glassware lady that always uses up our newspaper supply". 

• Travel further afield: There is much to be said for the grand adventure of buying trips. This is true with antique shops as well as thrift stores. People who live in different areas tend to have different things to donate or sell, so a trip to a shop in a different area can yield some surprising and refreshing results. For example: I recently went to an antique shop with my sister in Olympia, WA where I found some beautiful Spode pieces that I had never run across at the stores near where I live. 

Just a few tips for my fellow bargain-hunters. I hope they are helpful! 

Now, please post your bargain-hunting tips in the comments for the rest of us to learn from! 

Cooking for One: Tacos

The schoolyear has officially begun, and I found myself once again cooking for one as I made tacos for my school lunches this week. I have given myself a budget of $40 a month for my lunches and snacks. I had hoped to make it $20, but since I'm trying to eat more protien than carbs, (this week I'm splurging with the tacos) the price of meat and cheese made me re-think.

Since much of what I needed to make the tacos and the meat roll-ups (balogna slathered with cream cheese, rolled up and held together with a prezel stick) were staples that could be used again later in the month, I had a hard time keeping track of what I was spending for the week. I found a very helpful budget tracker app that enabled me to keep track of what I had spent for the month, and what I still had left.

When I was done making the tacos this morning, I realized that there was enough of everything to make another whole week's worth of food, so I put all the extra ingredients into a large plastic bag, which I labeled and froze.

Now, instead of eating tacos for two weeks straight, I can save money and time next month!