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LEARN & GROW
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Week of May 3, 2009
KEY VERSE
And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on." (Mark 12:41-44)
CENTRAL TRUTH
Our trust in God should be so great that we can confidently give Him everything we have.
DEVOTION
The famous story of the poor widow who offered God her two "mites" (small copper coins) is rightfully used to challenge the believer to give sacrificially. However, the account is not primarily restricted to financial giving, but extends to trusting God completely.During His last week, despite His triumphant entry to Jerusalem, Jesus made some powerful enemies at the Temple by overturning the tables of the money changers. Later, sitting opposite the Temple with His disciples, He watches rich people deposit large amounts of money. But it's the poor widow who gives her last two pennies that catches His attention. That she gave everything she had, gains the Lord's approval. Here is a woman whose daily provisions are now uncertain. How will she find her next meal? How will she buy bread or oil? She is not simply giving sacrificially. She is simultaneously saying, "God I trust you for my provision today." It's willingness to trust God completely that gains His favor. Nothing is held back. Certainly one coin would have been a great sacrifice. But this woman held back nothing. How difficult is it for us to give all? Maybe the struggle is best seen in our financial giving when we think about how many of our bills still need to be paid. But beyond that, how difficult is it to trust God completely in the midst of job uncertainty, loneliness, sickness, temptation, and want? God wants us to trust Him completely for our every need. Our faith is demonstrated by giving all to Him-by not withholding any area of our lives from His rule. That kind of trust is often built through small steps of faith over time. When my daughter was young, she used to jump off the steps into my waiting arms. That took faith! But she didn't start at step five. With excitement, she let herself fly into my arms one step at a time. She learned that she could fully trust her dad to catch her. Our trust in God should be so great that we can confidently give Him everything we have.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What small step is God asking you to take to teach you to trust Him more?
- If you are experiencing financial hardship, how might you still trust God in giving?
- Why do you think God wants TOTAL trust?
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