DEVOTION – DAY 587

2 Corinthians 9:8-9 “Be Generous”

2 Corinthians 9:8-9 “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”

During festive seasons like Chinese New Year, many people want blessings. People greet each other by hoping they would have abundant prosperity and blessings. But the above verses remind us that the source of all true blessings comes from God. God’s blessings come with an expectation. 2 Corinthians 9 is a passage of the Bible that God teaches us to practice generosity to others we know who are in need – whether it is materially, or spending time to teach them the Bible if they are spiritually poor and so on. 

God does not bless us with great wealth so that we can store them up in bank accounts and to spend it selfishly on ourselves and our own comfort. When we do that, our wealth becomes our false sense of security. It is always God who is our source of security. God blesses us abundantly in order that we can do good work as the above verses encourages us to do. The passage reminds us that it is God who puts food on our tables. Just as He supplies for us what we need, God expects us to give to others generously so that the recipients will give thanks to God. We are just channels of God’s blessings and provision. 

We know someone who signed up to go on a mission trip to Nepal. She had never been on a mission trip before and she had some concerns about cleanliness and hygiene. Her mission group had to travel an hour to a small town outside the capital. Every day, they were busy visiting orphanages and schools handing out gifts, giving testimonies, and being part of a medical mission. They had to raise their own funds to buy sufficient gifts for the poor and underprivileged in that town. But she also experienced exactly what 2 Cor. 9 said, that she would be more blessed as a result. She had great joy despite being tired every day because the people warmly welcomed them. People praised God for their coming. She had the opportunity to tell people about Jesus. She felt blessed.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we praise you for you are the source of all blessings and you provide for us. You are gracious and merciful. Please help us to be generous with our time and resources to be a channel of blessings to others for your glory. We humbly pray in the great name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Questions

1. How do you want God to bless you? In the light of this passage from 2 Cor.9, what changes will you make to the resources that God has given you?
2. Why is it better to give than to receive? Discuss. If you have experienced this before, share your experiences to encourage someone.
3. Who and how will you bless those you know who are in need?
4. Why do people hold on to their funds and withhold generosity? Discuss.