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Day 13
Quick Lessons from a Fish, a Donkey, and a Couple of Coins
Jesus
told Peter, “Go to the lake and throw out your line. Take
the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma
coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours."
(Matthew
17:27)
What can we learn from a fish?
Well, this short lesson obviously teaches us that Jesus is our Lord
and in control of all things. Does He really need what’s
in our wallets? After all, He can get it from a fish’s
mouth if He wants.
That Jesus involves us in His work is therefore
a sign of His love for us. He doesn’t need us, but oh
how He wants us involved in His work. Wow!
God includes me in His plan, even though He doesn’t need me! That’s a
plan that transcends all understanding!
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Jesus
told two of his disciples, “"Go to the village ahead of
you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her.
Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything
to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right
away."
(Matthew
21:2, 3)
Whether it’s casting a line for a fish or
asking for a donkey, the Lord Jesus will provide what He wants us to have.
When compelled by His Word that we are asking for what His kingdom
needs, we do not need to be shy about it. We simply ask,
telling His children that their Lord has a need. Moving
their hearts to willingly respond, that’s the Lord’s business.
But, He will move them according to His plan that transcends all
understanding.
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As he
looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.
He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.
"I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more
than all the others. All these people gave their gifts
out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live
on."
(Luke
21:1-4)
Here we have the classic example of giving from
Scripture. Jesus teaches us that it’s not the size of
the gift, but the size of the heart that He views. The
widow’s gift of a few coins was a tremendous gift of trust. She gave all she
had to live on. She knew “man does not live on bread alone but on
every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” With that offering
she confessed that the Lord was her life and her provider.
She neither needed nor desired anything or anyone else.
Is not the Lord our life and our provider?
Do we not live tomorrow . . . next year . . . ten years from now . .
. because of His blessing? Shall we (who have far more) not also give out of
our poverty? What kind of gifts do we bring that confess
that Jesus is our all . . . our everything?
Questions to Consider
1)
How can I
“cast the line” for Jesus in order to catch what He has already provided?
2)
Jesus is
the One who moves people to respond.
How does that help me ask others to help?
To give?
3)
If I were
to do what the widow did, how large of a gift would it be?
What kind of gift can I bring forth that shows the Lord is my life. .
.my provider. . .my all. . .my everything?
Prayer
Jesus, my Savior, You are my All, my
Everything. You are all I desire and all that I need.
May my life and gifts confess this truth. Amen. |
