Dear Ones,
Happy weekend to you! Hope you are enjoying these beautiful sunny days. This morning I made egg dishes, a veggie stir fry etc and went to the Dollar Store. Shortly, I am going to get  my hair cut in the building connected to ours. So convenient!
Devotions from Judy’s heart
God loves, loves, loves cheerful givers and considers our attitude on giving more important than the amount. I was reading today from II Cor. 9:7 (Amplified), “Let each one (give) as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, ‘prompt to do it’) giver (whose heart is in the giving).”
God wants joyful giving and not the left-overs but the first fruits. Sometimes we may be reluctant to give as we are concerned that we will have enough left over for ourselves; but we will find that when we give to the Lord, He supplies our needs in surprising ways. The Message translation says in verse 7, ‘God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.”
In my devotions today I was reading about King David when he spoke to the whole assembly of Israel. (I Chron 29) He blessed the Lord before the congregation and was full of praise as he gave over his personal fortune of gold and silver for the temple that his son Solomon was to build. He gave 113 tons of gold and 214 tons of silver etc. and then asked the people if they were also willing to also give. From his personal example, they followed and gave willingly and freely of gold, silver, bronze, iron and jewels. David was exuberant at their giving and acknowledged that all that is given to the Lord comes from Him; we are simply giving back what we have already been given by His generous hand. He goes on to acknowledge that God isn’t so concerned about the actual gifts, but rather that the people were giving of themselves from their hearts and with much joy. He prays that this generous spirit will be kept alive forever in the people’s hearts. Then the people began to worship and feast before the Lord with exuberant joy. Let us be like those who gave and celebrated God’s greatness, that the Lord may delight in us also.
Challenge for today: Thank the Lord that all you have has come from Him and then joyfully give.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy