Why does God call us to make offerings?
It’s a fair question. Since “the Earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it” (Psalm 24:1), why has God always asked for offerings from his people?
One reason is that your tithes and offerings provide the resources for the church to do its ministry. That was true for the temple in Jerusalem in the Old Testament. It was the case in the early church, as we read in Acts. And it has been true for churches ever since. Without faithful, generous offerings, the church could not fulfill its mission. Faithful, generous offerings are the only source of income a church has.
As Christians, though, there are two more important reasons we give. One is that giving freely and generously reminds us that, in fact, “the Earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.” Nothing we “own” is really ours. It is a trust from God, who will always provide for our needs. We are called to put our trust in God, not in our possessions.
That leads to the other key reason for giving. Since money can buy almost anything we want or desire, it is a prime candidate for idolatry. Nothing has the power to replace our trust in God as easily as money does. Giving generously reminds us that money is a good tool God gives us to provide for our needs and the work of His kingdom — nothing more or less.
As Christians, we do not only give because there are needs. We also have a need to give, because giving helps keep money in its place–and that helps us keep God in his!
An easy way to help Faith Lutheran in 2012 is through Simply Giving.
