November Gleam, 2008Sooner or later, you’ll discover it. It’s not some new math, some twisted form of
algebra, or even a modified version of addition and subtraction; Instead, it’s
often described as “God math,” and it defies all sorts of human logic. It works like this: You give money to the church
or to someone in need, even though you don’t really have it to give. You make a
sacrifice. God then does a miraculous thing: Since you’ve done God’s
business, God takes care of yours. You find that your own need is satisfied,
sometimes in a surprising way. John Ed Mathison quoted Anne Frank and summed it
up in our church-wide study book, Treasures
of the Transformed Life: “No one has ever become poor by giving.” Did you ever wonder why? It could be that being generous with our
finances allows us to be rich in faith. The more we see “God math” in our own
lives, the more confident we become that God really will meet all of our needs. Besides all that, though, giving a regular tithe
demonstrates to God that we consider God more important than we consider money.
It keeps us from allowing money to become an idol in our lives. Have you ever
thought about it that way? The truth is, God doesn’t just want our cash —
even if it does help fund church programs and ministries. What God really wants
is our hearts. God wants us to turn to our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer and
say, “Whatever I have, it’s yours.” Consider the Scripture verse from Psalm 116: 12:
“What can I offer the Lord for all God has done for me?” It reminds us that we can never pay back God for
God’s great gifts to us. One thing we can do, however, is cheerfully start with
the tithe, the very least God asks of us. Set aside that 10 percent every week
as soon as you get a paycheck, and you’ll never miss it. It will show God that
you’re serious about putting God first—and it will continue to give God
opportunities to supply your every need, just as God promised. Please continue to read from our church-wide
study book, Treasures of the Transformed Life. Those who are reading have expressed deep
appreciation for the way this simple gift has been blessing them. I do want the same for all the members
of our church. And please remember that Sunday, November 23,
will be our annual Thanksgiving and Pledge Sunday. Please welcome the letter that will come
asking you to pledge, to put prayer with God on your “to do” list, your church
presence on your busy calendar, and the ministry we share and the needs of our
community and world on your financial agenda. None of us knows how this works – but many of
us know this guarantee: you will be
blessed as you open your heart, mind, life, and possessions to God’s will. May God grant a generous and prosperous
season of harvest to the life of faith we all share together. With faith, hope, and love, Chuck Hartman, Pastor
|