An Offertory Devotional video for Sabbath, May 14, 2022, in your @adventistchurch: vimeo.com/687923961. Putting God first can be difficult. What we can learn from this video that will help us put God first in our lives today? Also available in #Spanish and #Portuguese. Put #GodFirst #StewardshipMinistries
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For more information on the Stewardship Ministries of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, you can head over to stewardship.adventist.org/
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We worship God with our resources because He has placed something valuable in each of
our pockets. Some of you are not convinced by these words because you are thinking
of how thin your purse is or about the bank account that you don’t have. Sometimes we
search thoroughly and still fail to see the valuable things that we have received. Hence, we are
tempted even to doubt these words or take comfort by spiritualizing the meaning of the word
“wealth.” Is it possible that we focus too much on the end product while not appreciating the
“ability to produce wealth” that God has given us?
One day a man was asked about the difference between himself and his wife. Listen to his
answer: “When I am hungry, I behave differently from my wife. After my day of work at the office,
I will drop my bag, rush to the kitchen, remove the lid from over the pot, and look for my favorite
dish. In contrast, my wife, when she is hungry, will open the cupboard and the fridge, get out
the raw materials, and prepare a delicious meal.” Two different strategies to address the same
need: one is seeking desperately for the end product, and the other is using the available raw
materials.
Instead of being frustrated and discouraged about the absence or limitation of the end
product, it is more efficient to acknowledge and use God’s raw materials. They comprise, among
other things, the health, energy, talents, and gifts that He has provided. And God promises to
empower us as we diligently use these raw materials. Do you know that one of the most thrilling
experiences is to partner with God to produce resources for our subsistence? This week, through
our participation in tithe and regular offerings, called Promise, we can praise God for assisting
us in transforming the raw materials He provides.
Lord, we are thankful for both the raw materials and the ability to produce wealth. You
are indeed the Provider of everything.
#Put God First
#StewardshipMinistries