Today I listened to John Stumbo's Thursday Morning Address to Council from this summer. You can view the condensed version of this here: John Stumbo Video Blog No. 25. The Lord used this message to really convict me of the sin of consumerism, greed, and pride. The pride that I should be able to direct how each dollar I give should be used. The consumerism that says I need more and better things. The greed that wants to give just enough to check the box and no more.
I tend to think of myself as a generous person. My husband and I give to a number of our missionary friends. However, I know we can do so much more. Seeing what could happen if our Alliance churches gave 10% of their budget to the GCF was astounding. I really appreciated how John Stumbo shared from his heart about this.
This is the prayer of my heart in response:
Lord, you gave freely of Yourself. You didn’t regard equality with God a thing to be held onto. You emptied Yourself, taking the form of a human servant. You poured Yourself out on the Cross. O God, everything I have belongs to You and is a gift from You. Would You enable me to live life with open hands? Open hands with everything You have entrusted to me? Show me how to respond to Your call to complete Your Great Comission. Give me the grace to obey.
Amen.