The Christian Wallet Devo

October 13th, 2019

Devotional

“The Christian Wallet: Generosity”

                                Luke 6: 27-28

Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com

Monday: “Love Your Enemies” -  Luke 6: 27

There are some people in our lives that are just easy to love.  They are usually people who we know love us and we trust enough to give our love to in return. But, if we are honest, not all people love us. And we don’t love all people. 

In fact, if we are really going to be honest, we know that there are even folks who we consider enemies. The dictionary has a lot of words that are strung together to describe an enemy, and none of them are pleasant. Words like hostile. Feel hatred for. Causes harm. A foe. 

Sometimes enemies are people who have personally harmed us, so we keep our distance from them. Other times people become our enemy through generationally conflict or rumors without us ever getting to know them or know their heart.

It is easy to love those who love us, but Jesus tells us to love our enemies and to do good to those who hate us. Its different from the way of the world, because it is a mark of the Kingdom of God.

What is one concrete thing you can do to “do good” to someone whom you consider an enemy?

Prayer: Lord, we confess that we would rather follow the way of the world and love those who love us and hate those whom we consider to be an enemy. Yet, you call us to something radically different. We confess that this call is not something that we can do by our own strength alone, so we humbly ask you to equip us this day to be people who love even our enemies, we pray. Amen. 

Tuesday: “Bless and Pray” - Luke 6: 28

Jesus did not stop by telling folks to simply do good to their enemies, even as hard as that may be. He went on to tell those who follow him to bless those who curse you and pray for those who abuse you. 

When we pray for our enemies, we often ask that God hold them accountable or judge them for their behavior. However, here I think Jesus is asking us to pray that they be blessed. Why? Because when we pray blessing into someone’s life it doesn’t just change them, it changes our very heart towards them. It changes our perception. 

This is a type of prayer that takes time to learn. Its not something that will come naturally to many of us at first. Yet over time, as our hearts are changed as well, this prayer will become easier and easier, by the strength and grace of God. 

Who do you need to be praying blessings for this week?

Prayer: Lord, sometimes we just want to pray that you judge those who have harmed us. We don’t want to pray for them to be blessed. In fact, there are times that we don’t want to pray for them at all. Soften our hearts, O Lord, so that we can be changed by paying for our enemies as well. Transform us, O Lord. Amen. 

Wednesday: “Give Freely” - Proverbs 11: 24

One of the central beliefs of our faith is that God gives us free will. Free will to choose to love God. Free will to choose to be obedient to God. Free will in how we respond to the call of God on our lives. 

But the flip side of free will is sometimes we don’t follow the way and will of God for our lives.

This section of Proverbs sets up a series of choices, saying that some choose to give freely and others withhold what they give. But as with free will there are consequences. Those who gave freely were blessed, those who withheld suffered want.

Does that mean we should give so that we will be blessed? Certainly not. We give because it is what God calls us to do. We make the choice to give as a mark of choosing to be obedient to our God. 

Do you find it easy or hard to give? Why?

Prayer: Lord, there are so many choices that we are called to make every day. We ask that as we approach each decision, we do so with the heart of Christ and our eyes focused on the cross. We ask for open hands, generous spirits, and the strength to follow you, each and every day. Amen. 

Thursday: “Generous” - Proverbs 11: 25

  How is a generous person enriched? Proverbs tells us that “one who gives water will get water.” Those who freely give often find that those whose lives they have touched wanted to give to them in return. 

But to be the one who receives requires humbling ourselves before other and before God. It can be easy to be the one who gives - because that takes place from a position of power. But to be the one who gets, that takes and open heart and a different type of generosity of spirit. 

Would you rather give or receive? Why?

Prayer: Lord, we ask that in days of bounty that you encourage us to be generous with what you have blessed us with to others. But we equally ask that on days of struggle you open up our spirits to be ones who can humbly receive. Teach us no matter what our circumstances, to be like you, O Christ. Amen. 

Friday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “The Christian Wallet: Those to Whom We Give” - Psalm 41 and Matthew 14