Thanks Be To God!

Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase.

Proverbs 3:9

The apostle Paul devoted two full chapters—2 Corinthians 8 and 9—to a special offering he was receiving for the poor saints in Jerusalem, and he told the Corinthians to give as God had prospered them, to give cheerfully, and to give as each had determined in his heart to give. He ended his appeal with a simple yet profound sentence: “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

That’s the Bible’s view of Jesus. He is “God’s Indescribable Gift” to the human race, to each of us. But it’s awkward if we have nothing to give in return. Have you ever felt uncomfortable when you received a Christmas present because you hadn’t anticipated exchanging gifts and you had nothing to give in return?

What, then, can we give God in exchange for His indescribable gift? Nothing, except our hearts, our worship, our thanksgiving, our trust, our obedience—our all. And when we place a gift in Sunday’s offering plate, that simple gift is symbolic of all of those things. We are honoring the Lord with our possessions and with the firstfruits of all our increase.

We are saying, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

Thank you, Lord, for giving to me Thy great salvation, so rich and free!

SETH SYKES