SOAP I Chronicles 16: Giving Costs

Giving Costs

I Chronicles 16

'So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord . 

For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods. 

Give to the Lord , O families of the peoples, Give to the Lord glory and strength. Give to the Lord the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. The world also is firmly established, It shall not be moved.'

I Chronicles 16:1-2,25,28-30 NKJV

Giving costs.  

It costs us something.  And I think it matters.  It cost David something.  It cost the people something. I often don’t prescribe a cost to those I read about.  I assume it wasn’t taxing to anyone, unless we read it was.  

'The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!'

Proverbs 21:27

Recently, one of the wealthiest men in the world threw an extravagant wedding for his son. The estimated cost for their flamboyant 3 day nuptials is estimated at $600 million dollars.  This is money beyond my comprehension, and though it cost him something, I’m not certain it is a cost that can be felt. This man still has 119 more billion dollars- that is a 1,000 million per billion.  That is A LOT of money.  

I think it was spent to gain more than it was spent to cost- and the differentiation matters. 

Frankly, I don’t care why or how or what amount this man spent.  What is stirring me, is am I willing to give what costs?  Am I willing to give God an offering that will cost me something?  This isn’t just about money either, this is about my time, my inhibition, my doubt, my fear.  Can I offer those? 

What I am often unwilling to offer is my fear, I like to hang on to that. 

I’m unwilling to offer up my doubt, I like to hang on to that too. 

I’m unwilling to offer up the exertion or effort it takes to do hard things, I’ll hang on to the comfort instead. 

God wants it all.  And I think I want to give it all, but my actions speak louder than my thoughts.  Truthfully, God isn’t asking me to do all things all at once.  And He would never ask me to do anything without Him.  God wants me to seek Him and do only what He asks and stirs my heart to do, no more-no less.  

Can I give what costs? 

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for loving me to change, for giving me pause and desire to pursue it.  Jesus, you are so faithful to never leave us, nor forsake us, not even in the midst of our own mess.  Thank you for a drive to be a better person, it doesn’t exist within myself. I long to be better for You, knowing I’ll be better for everyone else then too!  Equip me to go farther, further, and freer than ever before. In Jesus’s name, amen.