February 10
2 Corinthians 9
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. – 2 Corinthians 9:6-11
2 CORINTHIANS 9 ENRICHED BY GRACE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
As a result of your faith, you will be enriched by God’s grace
You will no longer give unwillingly but you’ll pay it forward
Since you were given much while you didn’t deserve it
Your heart will be moved to sow more instead of sparingly
Like God, you will become a cheerful giver and stay grateful
You will be giving God true worship in Spirit and in truth.
In this account, Paul explains to the Corinthian church how they were enriched by the grace of God when they believed in him. He mentions one law of boundaries in this letter. In verse 6, he points out that if they didn’t sow much, they will reap little and if they sow much, there is a bounty of harvest. In verse 7, he explains the concept of generosity which is a result of the grace we received from God. Without God, we will stay selfish and not give from the heart. It is God’s grace that equips us to love one another and thereby be accountable to care for each other’s needs. Verse 7 expounds on the principle behind giving. It is not just giving for the sake of it or for us to look good and generous. Even our giving is stirred by the grace that only comes from God because if we were left on our own, we will only focus on meeting our own needs and not others’. There is something not right when we give for the wrong reasons. Take for example a man who was wanting to be looked up to as a good person. He does give, but wants to make sure others see his act of giving. This isn’t “giving” as a result of grace, but as a result of performance and self-exaltation. Verse 7 clearly states that it must not be done out of obligation or compulsion. It has to be an act of the heart which aims to serve others as you have received from God himself. Can you imagine a world where everyone is stingy and unloving? There will be lots of conflicts and chaos. Now, imagine that everyone is sowing much and giving wholeheartedly without limits. What would that look like? Could you imagine a peaceful place where no one has to be in need because each believer is looked after by their sisters and brothers.
Because of God’s grace, we can now give as much as we received from God. Giving and loving no longer have bounds and limits. We pass the grace forward so we can reap more from God’s promises.
REFLECTION
· How can we constantly be mindful of how grace enriches our lives?
