2 Cor 9:7 God loves a cheerful giver.

I experience it. My children experienced it – the act of giving.

When I grew up and could buy and give a gift. I felt so good to buy my parents or Linda’s parents something for anniversaries, birthdays, and Christmas.

My children have felt the same joy with giving to us.

The ability to give comes with hard work and talent; the harder you work, the more you earn, the more you can give.

He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 2 Cor 9:6
In the world of agriculture it takes hard work to sow bountifully – to plant many seeds. It’s easy to plant one or two seeds and gather the harvest from them. It’s easy to keep the weeds away from one or two.

Plant an acre of seeds and it’s a totally different story. You will have to work hard to plant and to keep invasive predators and plants under control. You will work hard to gather the harvest but what a bountiful harvest you will have.

You have worked very hard and have more than you need. What a joy to give to someone else! You have become a cheerful giver.

And so it should be in church. You work hard to earn your pay but what a joy it is to give and see your church prosper and change the community. What joy to see your missionaries be blessed by your giving.

You become the cheerful giver.

Abba, though the sacrifice of Your Son has cost you much and it must have grieved You so – You must also have great joy at the response of sinners that have found the forgiveness in what was done. I for one thank You for giving. I pray I may do the same for others – give of myself. In Jesus’ name, YES&AMEN