Coffee With The Lord

I have friends who are very careful about their investments.  They watch the market like a hawk.  They get up in the morning (and even before they pick up their Bible) they check the market.  They have instant notification apps on their cell phone to notify them of changes during the day.  Last thing before they go to bed at night, they check the international markets.  They’re upbeat and almost giddy if things go well – quiet and dour if it was a bad day in the markets.

I’ve got a little invested … a paltry sum by most standards.  I’m grateful that I’m interested, but not obsessed.  I have to admit, however, I’m VERY interested in the investments I’ve made in the Kingdom of God!!  Was reminded of that as I read the following passage this morning…

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And GOD IS ABLE TO BLESS YOU ABUNDANTLY, SO THAT IN ALL THINGS AT ALL TIMES, HAVING ALL THAT YOU NEED, YOU WILL ABOUND IN EVERY GOOD WORK.  As it is written: ‘They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.’  Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.  You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.  This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God…  And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.  Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!  (From 2 Corinthians 9:6–15 NIV)

Now, I’ve just got to say, the dividends on those investments are “out of this world” – I didn’t even have to provide the funds to do it – God is the one that really provided them!!  On top of that, I am rewarded!!  The return on investment is God’s cause furthered, more resources to share, thanksgiving and praise to God for His provision, and people actually praying that God will meet MY needs!  But it all begins when I amchallenged to follow THE EXAMPLE OF GOD FOR HIS INCREDIBLE GIFT – THE GIFT OF HIS SON! 

Think I’ll go check on my investments!!

Anyone who knows me, knows I love and appreciate good contemporary worship music. I thrill that the present generation has articulated their love and worship for the Lord in such heartfelt and profound ways… But I gotta tell you, we’ll be impoverished if we don’t preserve and use the great legacy of worship music of generations past. This morning I was reminded of one such “heritage song” that we dare not lose! I posted the lyrics for you today and a beautiful instrumental rendition by the Burchfield brothers for your reflection and worship… Anyone…I mean ANYONE who is a devoted follower of Jesus will identify with this song!  You will want to set aside some time to enjoy this and simply WORSHIP!!!

“Who can cheer the heart like Jesus
By His presence all divine
True and tender, pure and precious
O, how blest to call Him mine

Chorus
“All that thrills my soul is Jesus
He is more than life to me
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see

“Love of Christ so freely given
Grace of God beyond degree
Mercy higher than the heavens
Deeper than the deepest sea

“What a wonderful redemption
Never can a mortal know
Ho my sin, though red like crimson
Can be whiter than the snow

“Every need His hand supplying
Every good in Him I see
On His strength divine relying
He is all in all to me

“By the crystal flowing river
With the ransomed I will sing
And forever and forever
Praise and glorify the King”

Thoro Harris – 1874-1955

Sometimes two stories in Scripture are placed next to each other by the inspired writer for the truth they communicate by contrast.  This often happens in the gospel records, which are not strictly chronological, but sometimes arranged topically.  This morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I read two such accounts… What Jesus said about the “scribes” (religious leaders – who were especially thought of as Jewish Bible scholars) and the “poor widow” and her gift.

Think about it…

The pompous, proud, image-driven “scribe” – really a greedy hypocrite.  Set over against the devout, sincere, selfless “poor widow” – motivated by sacrificial generosity.  So who won the admiration and praise of our Savior, Jesus Christ?  Here it is right out of the Bible – truth taught by contrast…

“And in his teaching Jesus said, ‘BEWARE OF THE SCRIBES, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’”

“And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.  AND A POOR WIDOW came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.  And he called his disciples to him and said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.  For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’”  (From Mark 12:38–44 ESV)

Let that sink in… Those who please the Lord, capture His attention, and win His approval are often not those who appear righteous (in fact those people are often “self-righteous”).  The ones that win the Lord’s approval are simple, sincere believers who are NOT self-seeking (and instead they are self-giving)… I can tell you which side of that contrast I want to be on!  Oh Lord, help me to be more like the “widow” – and NOT like the “scribe”!