Stewardship: Money is a Testimony
Dear Friends,
Advent is upon us. Advent means, “to come.” When Jesus put on flesh, He did so in order to reveal the Father to us. In Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John 3, He tells Nicodemus that He has come to give testimony to what is heavenly: the love of the Father. He reminds Nicodemus that, “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.” (v. 13, NKJV) Jesus came to earth to light the path so that we could know the hope of God’s heavenly love for us. What a Savior! As believers, we are called to follow in His footsteps and continue to testify of these heavenly things to a dark world. What a calling!
In some ways, money is one of the most “earthly” things we encounter. It is a symbol of economic worth that is, at its core, fleeting and, ultimately, empty. How amazing that God allows us to use even our money to testify to His love and grace!
In my readings this morning, I came across a prayer of 19th century philosopher and theologian, Soren Kierkegaard. I feel it is a perfect advent prayer, as it draws us back to the knowledge that our lives are to be a continual response to the great love of God, revealed to us through the advent of His Son. All of our choices, each testimony we give to the world, can spring from the knowledge of His perfect love for us.
The quote is long, so I will close with it today, and I pray it blesses you as it blessed me in this season of Christmas.
“Father in Heaven! You have loved us first, help us never to forget that You are love so that this sure conviction might triumph in our hearts over the seduction of the world, over the inquietude of the soul, over the anxiety for the future, over the fright of the past, over the distress of the moment. But grant also that this conviction might discipline our soul so that our heart might remain faithful and sincere in the love which we bear to all those whom You have commanded us to love as we love ourselves.
“You have loved us first, O God, alas! We speak of it in terms of history as if You have only loved us first but a single time, rather than that without ceasing you have loved us first many times and every day and our whole life through. When we wake up in the morning and turn our soul toward You – You are the first – You have loved us first; if I rise at dawn and at the same second turn my soul toward You in prayer, You are there ahead of me, You have loved me first. When I withdraw from the distractions of the day and turn my soul toward You, You are the first and thus forever. And yet we always speak ungratefully as if You have loved us first only once.”
May God’s peace encourage you as you pursue financial wisdom and depend on His Truth.
Blessings,
Ron
Quote taken from: Devotional Classics: Selected Readings for Individuals and Groups, Harper Collins, 1990, p. 351.
Click here for the video transcript
Advent is upon us. Advent means, “to come.” When Jesus put on flesh, He did so in order to reveal the Father to us. In Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John 3, He tells Nicodemus that He has come to give testimony to what is heavenly: the love of the Father. He reminds Nicodemus that, “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.” (v. 13, NKJV) Jesus came to earth to light the path so that we could know the hope of God’s heavenly love for us. What a Savior! As believers, we are called to follow in His footsteps and continue to testify of these heavenly things to a dark world. What a calling!
In some ways, money is one of the most “earthly” things we encounter. It is a symbol of economic worth that is, at its core, fleeting and, ultimately, empty. How amazing that God allows us to use even our money to testify to His love and grace!
In my readings this morning, I came across a prayer of 19th century philosopher and theologian, Soren Kierkegaard. I feel it is a perfect advent prayer, as it draws us back to the knowledge that our lives are to be a continual response to the great love of God, revealed to us through the advent of His Son. All of our choices, each testimony we give to the world, can spring from the knowledge of His perfect love for us.
The quote is long, so I will close with it today, and I pray it blesses you as it blessed me in this season of Christmas.
“Father in Heaven! You have loved us first, help us never to forget that You are love so that this sure conviction might triumph in our hearts over the seduction of the world, over the inquietude of the soul, over the anxiety for the future, over the fright of the past, over the distress of the moment. But grant also that this conviction might discipline our soul so that our heart might remain faithful and sincere in the love which we bear to all those whom You have commanded us to love as we love ourselves.
“You have loved us first, O God, alas! We speak of it in terms of history as if You have only loved us first but a single time, rather than that without ceasing you have loved us first many times and every day and our whole life through. When we wake up in the morning and turn our soul toward You – You are the first – You have loved us first; if I rise at dawn and at the same second turn my soul toward You in prayer, You are there ahead of me, You have loved me first. When I withdraw from the distractions of the day and turn my soul toward You, You are the first and thus forever. And yet we always speak ungratefully as if You have loved us first only once.”
May God’s peace encourage you as you pursue financial wisdom and depend on His Truth.
Blessings,
Ron
Quote taken from: Devotional Classics: Selected Readings for Individuals and Groups, Harper Collins, 1990, p. 351.
Click here for the video transcript
Being a witness and serving as salt and light is always or desire as Christians and I love the idea that how we live our financial lives is a key component of that witness.
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