ARE YOU A GIVER OR A TAKER?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying Your great
goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave
them, they did not serve You or turn from their evil ways.
(Nehemiah 9:35)

MEDITATION:
Have you ever seen someone who always wants to get, but has no desire
to give? Not only do they not give, but some fail to show appreciation for
the gifts they receive. The same thing can be said of many Christians.
Abundance doesn’t guarantee a show of gratefulness or thanksgiving.
In fact, prosperity may even turn some hearts away from the Lord.

We complain when things don’t go our way. We want an abundance of
everything instead of being satisfied with what is sufficient to sustain
us. We would rather be somewhere else than where we are right now
(our job, our status, our residence, etc.).

We would rather have what the Lord gives to others than to be satisfied
with what He has given us. We would rather have God serve us than for
us to serve Him. We fail to express our gratitude for the blessings He has
given to us.

When a group of Jewish exiles returned from Babylon with Nehemiah
to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, they gathered as one to confess their
sins and the sins of their fathers. In their prayers, they confessed to the
Lord that although He had blessed them with goodness and fertile land,
they did nothing to show their appreciation to Him.

They didn’t look for ways to serve the Lord, nor did they turn from
their evil ways. We can assume that they also didn’t praise, thank,
and worship their Creator for all the ways He had blessed them.

Confession should be a part of every believer’s prayer life. After we
confess our sins, we need to spend time thanking God for His blessings.
After we have laid our petitions at His feet, we need to commit to being
more obedient to His commands and serving Him wherever He calls us
to serve.

ACTION:
Questions to consider:
    – How grateful am I for how the Lord has blessed me?
    – When was the last time I expressed my gratitude to the Lord?
    – How often do I confess my sins to the Lord?
       (we might sin against others, but ultimately all sin is against God).
    – When is the last time I have committed to being more obedient to God?
    – Have I ever made a commitment to serve the Lord using the spiritual
       gifts I received from Him along with His gift of salvation?
           Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
           baptizing them in the name of the Father and
           of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching
           them to obey everything I have commanded you.
           And surely I am with you always, to the very end
           of the age.”
           (Matthew 28:19-20)

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for the many ways You have blessed me.
You give me food, clothing, and shelter, along with the air that I breathe
and the beat of my heart. You also give me spiritual gifts that I can use
in serving You. Forgive me for any of Your gifts that I am not using to
glorify You. Forgive me for not being more grateful for your blessings.
Help me to be more obedient to You and Your commands. Meet me each
morning and help me avoid the things that displease You. I want to be
more committed to You, instead of allowing the things of this world to
attract me and influence the things I say and do.”

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