Day 3: Share alike
“The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.” David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this (1 Samuel 30:24-25).
Heavenly Father, You have shown us that You are a God of abundance, a God of limitless supply, a God of unmatched generosity. All of creation teems, abounds, overflows with Your exorbitant blessings, Your exceeding goodness. Thank You.
In Your great wisdom, You set up laws, cycles, and systems to continue to give, reproduce, and multiply. You have made us a part of these processes, and You instruct us in the God-determined rules that govern sowing and reaping, scattering and increasing, propagating and multiplying.
You teach us from Your word the principles that work for the greatest benefit, not just for ourselves, but also for others. The apostle Paul relays to us the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35); and the timeless words of the Holy Spirit, Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously (2 Corinthians 9:6).
Thank You for showing us how to live from a mindset of open-hearted generosity and an attitude of unselfish humility. Thank You for the wise leadership example of David—for his focus on mutual reliance and shared investment as he instituted the rule:
“The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike” (1 Samuel 30:24).
Give us that same vision and understanding, Lord. Deliver us from the pride and folly of constant labelling, classifying, elevating—ourselves, or others, according to the ways of the world. Keep us from the fear and short-sightedness that drive greed, selfishness, hoarding, and marginalizing.
Teach us to value others, for they are the image-bearers of the Almighty God. Remind us of Your charge to encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone (1 Thessalonians 5:14).
Teach us to embrace and appreciate the flawless wisdom of our Spirit-given roles— to acknowledge our interdependence, and to understand the value of each contribution. Teach us to see, as David did, that You are the source, and not we ourselves (1 Samuel 30:23, James 1:17). Teach us gratitude, humility, and generosity.
Lord, what greater example of these do we have than Yours, for You gave us the gift of Your Son, while we were sinners and enemies of God! (Romans 5:6-10). Teach us the love and the grace we need to live out willingly, humbly, fearlessly, the call You have given us:
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (Galatians 6:10).
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