Giving Beats Getting
Remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ (Acts 20:35)
Acts 20:32-35; Prov. 11:25; Eccel. 5:13; Matt. 10:8; Luke 6:38; Heb. 13:16
What Is God Saying?
On his last missionary journey, Paul was conscious of the fact that he would probably be saying farewell to his greatly loved friends for the last time. Of course, he knew as do we, that Christians never say goodbye for the last time, for we all have the gift of eternal life. To be with Jesus in the place He has prepared for all of His means that we will be with each other. There is a poignancy about these farewells. The Ephesian Church leaders wept and embraced Paul, ‘Sorrowing most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they should see his face no more’ (20:37-38). Paul was sharing his deepest feelings, sacred memories, great hopes, earnest warnings—and every word was wrapped in love. ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ That seems to say it all. When these nine simple words were spoken, ‘Paul knelt and prayed with them all.’
How Does This Apply To Us?
What's in it for me? That's the world's agenda. It is the world's theme song. The only riches that count are the riches you can count, in the bank or on the ledger sheet. Such riches act like a thick curtain to hide the true riches of the spirit. We need to put these memorable words of Jesus to the test. It must have great importance or it would not be the last thing Paul said to Christian friends he didn't expect to see again. This is what he wants them to remember when they think of him, when they return to their work, and live out their lives. Remember ‘the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.’’
Pray With Me
O God, thank You for the gift of memory. It bridges the distance to the past. It lets the heart linger in the garden of friendship. It strengthens the will to know that heights once gained and burdens, once lifted, may be conquered again. It calms the fretful spirit to know that God who has never failed shall never fail. I use that gift today, Lord. I remember all those whose lives and sacrifices of life have made my life full and satisfying. I remember the quiet act of mercy, the wakefulness of a parent, the guiding hand of a brother, the counsel of a friend-all like tiny streams that flow into a continuously cresting river of blessing.
Above all, I remember the words of the Lord Jesus for they shine from the past, on the present, and into the future. I would remember His words, for what He said and what He did were always one. I would remember His words for they live and make me alive. Especially I would remember these words, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ I want this secret to apply to my life. In a world so marked with greed and malice, I need to remember these words of life. Infected by the very atmosphere of a world that is at enmity with God, it is easy for me to slip into perilous forgetfulness. Therefore, I deliberately choose to remember these words of the Lord Jesus.
Let them guide my steps and move my hands today. Let me claim the joy of those who have no fear except the loss of You. Let me know this blessedness of which the Lord Jesus spoke. Let the memory of what He said, what He did, and what He was become the pattern and the power for all that I say, all that I do, and all that I am.
For the sake of His glory. Amen.
Moving On In The Life of Prayer
We can all get infected with the virus of greed. God has a better idea, a more blessed way, a healthier life for us to live. Remembering the words and the example of our Lord, we move out in faith to discover real happiness. The first step of this journey of faith is usually taken when God lays it on our hearts in prayer to get us out of His way so He can work through us. God knows and we will understand that giving is much more blessed.
