Ordinary Time
We fully open our hearts to you, O God, as we give.
Praise the Lord! Let my whole being praise the Lord! I will praise the Lord with all my life; I will sing praises to my God as long as I live.
Psalm 146:1-2
“You are doing what?” my buddies asked. “I am going to a camp as a counselor with three hundred teenagers,” I said. “Are you using your vacation?” they asked. “Yes, of course,” I replied. “You are nuts, man…”
Ok, maybe I was crazy. But what I couldn’t know before I went to camp was that I would receive far more than what I gave up in order to go. I received memories that I will have for the rest of my life. I got laughs so strong that my side hurt. I got to hear the struggles of these teens. I had so much fun, and it was life changing.
You see, here is the thing we tend to forget about giving: when we give, God produces joy. I had joy at that camp because I gave.
So, let me encourage all of you to give – to give your all. What you will receive back is a joy that is tenfold what you gave.
Andy Hart
Glorious God, be with me as I give. Let me remember that what I give up is nothing compared to the joy I will receive in the giving. Amen.
Someone once said: “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
Go out today to make your life by giving.
Give love, give joy, give selflessly, give generously.
Give your all.