From the Edges – Morning Devotional – Abundance

From the Edges – Morning Devotional

Lent – Day 8 – February 22, 2024

Abundance

Scripture focus – 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

How are you living your life? As one who receives or as one who gives. Many times, in relationship and friendship bonds are formed based on what one can do for another. This is the same in a relationship with God. We choose to follow God and be in relationship with God based on what God can do for us. We focus so much more on the blessings we receive than on the intimacy we have with God and how God is calling us into a righteous lifestyle.

This seeps out into the way we pray. Are we only praying for our own needs, sicknesses, and desires or are we praying for the abundance of God’s salvation to be poured out to others, praying for an outcome that will glorify God. Do we only pray when we are sick, in trouble, desperate, as a last resort. Or are we faithful and consistent in prayer all the time.

I believe this mindset and way flows over into living a life and making choices that benefit us. We choose friends and relationships based on how it will benefit us. This was experienced in post war climates where people joined a church, social organizations, clubs, because it benefited them and their careers as they tried to move forward and live out the American dream. Now we find ourselves in crisis and situations once again because we place much on the American dream and the abundance and convenience that life now offers.

This is what the Apostle Paul said to the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 – “Now he who supplies seed to the Sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

This is not a tithing devotion this is a life devotion. It is time to realize how much God has done and is doing for us. We are blessed! Maybe you need to take a few minutes and list your blessings. We however cannot look at these blessings as favor of God. God didn’t give us the car we have, the place we live, the job or career we experience or have experienced, or our state of being because we are good looking or have the right birth name. God has blessed us abundantly so we can bless others and most importantly can honor God “through our generosity and thanksgiving to God.”

Maybe on this day the thing we need to cut away most is our prideful attitude. Our we deserve it attitude and be humbly remade into the people we have been created to be, striving for righteousness. Created in the image of God – read the creation story. We have been supplied with the seed now it is time to scatter it.

Maybe this can be our prayer today – from St. Nicholas of Flue 1417-1487

“My Lord and my God, take from me everything that distances me from You; my Lord and my God, give me everything that brings me closer to You; my Lord and my God, detach me from myself in order to give my all to You.”