Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness (2 Corinthians 9:10).
Father in heaven, You are Jehovah Jireh, provider—God of all supply. The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it... (Psalm 24:1) All creatures look to You to give them their food at the proper time (Psalm 104:27). You satisfy the hunger of the lions...and provide food for the raven... (Job 38:39,41). And to humanity You gave everything for food (Genesis 9:3). Thank You for Your abundant provision.
O Lord, Your great love is evidenced by Your lavish kindness and compassion. The apostle Paul reminded the Roman believers of Your priceless generosity: "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things"(Romans 8:32)?
You desire us to share Your gifts in both the spiritual world and the material. Our Lord Jesus sent His disciples out with the charge, "Freely you have received; freely give" (Matthew 10:8).
Paul later tells the church elders, "And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35).
Father, we see Your concern all through Scripture, for the poor and downtrodden. The psalmist tells us in Psalm 112: 5, that "Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice." And the wise Teacher warns us against selfishness and stinginess with the declaration that One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty (Proverbs 11:24).
You have set up laws in Your universe that encourage compassion and generosity:
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously (2 Corinthians 9:6). You have designed a perfect economy where You supply, and replenish, and multiply, and enlarge as we look to the needs of others.
Thank You, O Father! Move our hearts to respond with kindness, and mercy, and compassion as we see the great need around us. Not just the physical and the obvious, Lord, but also the hidden hurts and the secret sorrows. Open our eyes to perceive. Enlarge our capacity to give freely of ourselves—a kind word, an encouraging smile, an open spirit, a listening heart.
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21).
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