Does God expect something grand from you? Let’s talk about it on Deeper Waters.
In our day and age of celebrities in the church, many of us can look at ourselves and wonder how much we can really give. We can look at so many preachers, apologists, scholars, teachers, etc. and wonder how it is that we could ever reach that level. Who are we? We are just the people on the bottom of the ladder here and the ones doing the work are up there.
If our contributions cannot begin to match what it is that others are giving, then should we really give at all? Why bother? Anything we offer is so small and tiny that it cannot make a difference. I can understand this kind of viewpoint, but at the same time, I cannot accept it. I think it goes fundamentally against what the Bible teaches.
While it is true that we do individualize the text, it does not mean that individuals do not matter. Some texts can apply on an individual basis. Some cannot. How do we know which is which? We must do study. There is no shortcut. There is no magic rule whereby you can recognize which texts do what.
I bring up the individualizing because it leads to us thinking things are all about us. We want to know that God has a wonderful plan for our lives. I can tell everyone that in fact, God does have a wonderful plan for your life! It is to conform you to the likeness of Christ so you can spend eternity in His presence. What better plan could there be?
“Yes. That’s great. But how will he do that?” Beats me. I don’t even have a clue how this computer I’m typing on begins to work and you want me to explain how God works that way? I don’t understand things my parents and in-laws do. I don’t understand things my wife does. I don’t understand things I do. How am I to understand what God does?
Instead of trying to figure out how God is working in your life, something I would seriously doubt you can know aside from hindsight, I would suggest instead trying to figure out how you are working in God’s life. The question is not what is the plan God has for your life, but what is it you plan to do in the life of God?
“Ah. But what I could offer the kingdom of God is so small.” Offer it anyway! The Bible is full of stories of people blessed by a small act of faith. The widow is seen to have the praise of Christ for she gave all that she had to live on. The young boy who gave his lunch to the disciples had it multiplied so that it fed 5,000 men plus women and children.
Do not look at what you can give God and determine that He can’t use it. That’s for Him to decide! Just give it to Him. Whatever it is, give it to Him. Perhaps you can’t put $100,000 in the offering plate! Can you put a dollar in? Do you think God is so weak that he can’t use a dollar for His glory? Perhaps you can’t give a year to someone. Can you give an hour? Remember, even a cup of cold water in the name of Christ will not go unrewarded.
“But what I have is nothing big.” So what? Do not worry about giving something grand. Just give something and let God do something grand with it if He chooses. It could be the fruit of your little action might not be seen for several years, perhaps long after you’re dead. So what? Do you give just so you can see the results? Giving to God is its own reward.
I have an internet radio show as readers of this blog know and I was told it would go out syndicated to 20,000 listeners. I have said that if each of those listeners gave one dollar to support Deeper Waters, we would not have any financial problems here whatsoever and I could better be freed to keep doing apologetics work here for you. That’s just my ministry! Imagine how many other ministries could be blessed by the millions of Christians in this country? Imagine how much we could do if we gave more of our time, money, and our abilities.
What will God do with you? That is for Him to decide and not you. For now, just give what you have and trust Him with the rest.
In Christ,
Nick Peters
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