Today’s Affirmation: I give to God all that I have.
ALL. How can three letters form such a HUGE word? Mark 12:44 is the source of this daily affirmation. This is the story of where the poor widow gave her two mites as her offering. She gave out of her poverty.
Are you broke? Broken? Some of us are both sometimes. The preceding verses in Mark 12 are full of the temptations of the Pharisee’s and Sadducees trying to trap Jesus with their trick questions. We still do that to each other don’t we? Even we, “the church” question others to see if they believe as we do or is it contrary to our beliefs. Of course we are right, right? Were the Pharisee’s and Sadducees?
Technicalities or all. Which of these two feel better to you? Sure seems a lot more complicated with a lot more letters. Hmmm ALL.
In verse 12:28, a scribe had another trick question about what was the most important commandment, Jesus replied in Mark 12:30: “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This [is] the first commandment.
In 12:33 the Scribe reiterated that all of these all’s above were worth more more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
So giving God our “all” is better than “all” of the legalism and things we do on our own power to remove our sin…Ok, I won’t go there.
Back to the widow her poverty, and ours. Do we give only some out of our abundance or do we give our entire livelihood? Not only in monetary things but in all things. Do we give Him our all? Our good, our bad, our doubts, our praise…our all?
- Will you give all you have today?
- Do you know what it is to be broke or broken?
- Is it easier for you to give out of your abundance or your poverty?
- What does “all” mean to you today?
Mark 12 covers a lot of ground. What do you harvest today from His Word?
Thanks, Tom. This goes along with just what I read this morning in my quiet time!
Isn’t it crazy?? Sorry for my Delay in responding. I am working out of town with limited time and access. Isn’t God’s word amazing and how He feeds us with His word. I am amazed at how God and his Holy Spirit feeds us. Thanks for letting me know how He confirms His word in us!
All means all. Not half. Not quarter. Not when I feel like it. Not when the mood strikes me. Now if i can only get that through my thick head and sometimes stubborn heart. Good thoughts and challenge today Tom. My Scripture today using the OneYearBible was from 2 Samuel 21-22 where David’s men gave their all by striking down giant after giant.
Thanks Bill, it does mean all doesn’t it?!! I apologize that I haven’t been replying this week here or your blog. I soooo don’t touch giving my all, yes stubborn and thick here. Look forward to catching up late next week… I am praying now for your message tomorrow. God’s word and timing is amazing!
What I have found interesting is that just when I think I have given all I have to give. The Holy Spirit will uncover something else that must go. Kinda like peeling an onion. After buying a bag of onions, I will whisk away the outer dry loose peels to keep them from falling through my wire basket where I store them. However before I can eat them there is another layer that needs to be removed before we can eat them. In fact in reality there are many layers before we get to the real core of the onion. We will never understand the true meaning of ALL, for if we saw it all at once, we would probably cowardly refuse to give it. As we walk our faith grows and we are willing to trust him more and are able through His strength to give Him more. I mean, could we actually say to God. Job was an example where God took ALL but his life and salvation. I might say, “I want to be able to give my ALL,” but in all honesty, as circumstance and situation, begin to make things uncomfortable for me, (finances, health, age, relationships, etc) I pray that God in His grace and mercy will protect me from having to do so, for no one enjoys coming under the pruning shears of the gardner.
GREAT words Patsy, I hate I haven’t responded and don’t know if you will ever see this. But… I sooo agree. Peeling back the layers. I haven’t been too successful giving all that I have that I am aware of and you are sooooo right as there have been times with God has opened my eyes to new things as I think I have climbed other mountains… God knows what He is doing. You are right…if He showed me ALL I needed to give….it would just overwhelm and destroy…great thoughts.
Can you delete sending to laddd@friscoisd.org and add the one above – your postings are really really really good for me – thank you for your conciseness and your commitment to truth….
Thank you Debi for your kind words. I will have to see how to delete the subscriptions. When you get the one at frisco can you just unsubscribe there?? I will check into this but thinking you can unsubscribe when you get that in your email and then subscribe under the new… I will be back home in a day and will spend some research time on this. Have a wonderful day!