August 3 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

The earthly ministry of our Lord and Saviour is the ultimate and highest example of gracious giving. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” He who is infinitely rich in the presence of His Father, willingly and voluntarily became poor at His incarnation. Jesus was born in a very humble setting. He was born to parents who were far from rich. He left the wealth of heaven to dwell in the poverty of a world under the dominion of sin.

Jesus selflessly made Himself nothing, to serve and to give His life as a ransom. He was willing to come down to be the suffering Servant, to be despised, rejected, misinterpreted and mistreated. Christ became poor in order that we might be rich. Isn’t this truly amazing? The Son of God laid aside His divine glory and subjected Himself to extreme poverty for our sake. Christ made us rich by taking all the outstanding bills of our transgressions and He paid them in full. Through Him we receive adoption as sons and daughters of the living God. Jesus’ redeeming work allows us to be God’s children and thereby to share in the inheritance of eternal glory. All the wealth of God becomes our inheritance. What Christ did by giving Himself for us and to us goes beyond human words or description.

The gracious work of our Lord Jesus ought to drive us to our knees in praise, and then to open our hearts and hands to each other. Those who know how Christ gave Himself to us in perfect love are motivated to give for the needs of God’s people. They will not only give of their money, but also of their time and talents for mutual service in the body of Christ.

The ministry of the deacons displays the riches we have in Christ. Every time they stand up to collect they set before us the gospel of Christ’s incarnation: “Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” Let the sincerity of our love for the God who gave us everything in Christ be reflected in our generosity and eagerness to give for the needs of others. Embrace the privilege of being able to give.