GIVING

While catching up on my 365 WWJD? devotions today,
I realized something about giving. We're all familiar with the verse,
"Ask, and you will receive. You have not, because you ask not."
But sometimes, when we ASK for something, we need to
keep in mind that God may, in turn, be waiting for us to GIVE, first.

"Give, and it will be given to you." Luke 6:38a

Harrison quotes Charles Haddon Spurgeon who says, "Giving to God
is no loss; it is putting your substance in the best bank."

Do we seek reconciliation with someone? Do not wait for them to
initiate it. GIVE your forgiveness, first.
Do we seek more love from a relationship? GIVE more love into it.
Do we need something, anything? Look for a way to GIVE the very
thing you lack to God. For Jesus promises,

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For
with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38

As Spurgeon also says, "Giving is true having."
This is one of the paradoxes of the Kingdom. It is anti-intuitive,
and utterly Christian!

[image from www.openhandweb.org]