This contrast of offerings. One to the Lord, overflowing. Joyful.
7 Solomon consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the Lord, and there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar he had made could not hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat portions. (2 Chronicles 7:7, NLT, emphasis added)
Another, selfish gain.
“See, the enemy is puffed up;
his desires are not upright—
but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness—
5 indeed, wine betrays him;
he is arrogant and never at rest.
Because he is as greedy as the grave
and like death is never satisfied,
he gathers to himself all the nations
and takes captive all the peoples.
6 “Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying,
“‘Woe to him who piles up stolen goods
and makes himself wealthy by extortion!
How long must this go on?’
7 Will not your creditors suddenly arise?
Will they not wake up and make you tremble?
Then you will become their prey.
8 Because you have plundered many nations,
the peoples who are left will plunder you.
For you have shed human blood;
you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
9 “Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain,
setting his nest on high
to escape the clutches of ruin!
10 You have plotted the ruin of many peoples,
shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.
11 The stones of the wall will cry out,
and the beams of the woodwork will echo it. (Habakkuk 2:4-11, NLT, emphasis added)
Offerings.
As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4, NLT)
This year I felt that time was not my own. I have felt pulled by responsibilities, and often physically and emotionally depleted. It is December, and I wonder where the time went. Oh, but this:
37 Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, 38 and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple. (Luke 21:37-38, NLT)
Each day, He still teaches. In the early mornings, I want to be right at his feet. He frames my purpose and gives direction and I am reminded–it is all His anyway: time, talent, treasure. If I feel depleted, will He not fill me again? If I abide in Him, will this branch be fruitless and wither?
I laugh to think that time was mine to keep.
Could my offerings (of time, talent, treasure) ever be so large that the altar I made couldn’t hold them?
Lord, may my offerings to you be given in joy. You are sovereign.
Courtney (66books365)
Sixty-six books in a year 