25 Oct November 20th Daily Devotional

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

RICH GENEROSITY – GRACE OF GIVING – PART V

2 Corinthians 9:6 “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”

Solomon wrote, “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:24-25) Today’s devotional verse parallels Solomon’s words, “Whoever sows sparing, will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” (2 Corinthians 9:6)

God created grain to be thrown away (sown.)  In the parable of the Sower, the Sower sowed.  Once he scattered the grain, it was out of his control.  His responsibility was simply to sow.  Once the seed was out of his hand, his responsibility ended.  Some of the seeds landed in the best possible soil, some in less fertile soil and others on the rocks and hard path.  Most grew and produced new seed.  (Matthew 13:1-23)

Lenski, in his commentary on 2 Corinthians 9:6 writes, “God designed grain to be sown and to yield its return; God arranged (your) Christian life in good works and in giving in the same way.  He provides the seed of His Word, sends you out to sow it throughout your lifetime, and blesses it so there is a harvest of souls.  God provides you with the gifts to produce good works that will be blessings for yourself and your neighbor.

Today’s devotional verse encourages you to sow generously from the gifts God has entrusted to you.  That is why He has given them to you. Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked”  (Luke 12:48) To be stingy with the blessings God has entrusted to you is to fail to realize the immensity of the blessings God desires you and others to have.  To cast all the seed God has given you provides the greatest potential for those seeds to sprout, grow and produce a harvest as He blesses them.  He will provide the seed, cause the rain to fall, the sun to shine and the harvest to come.

Prayer:  Lord, grant that I be generous in my sowing.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Praise and thanksgiving, Father, we offer

For all things living, Created good:

Harvest of sown fields, Fruits of the orchard,

Hay from the mown fields, Blossom and wood.

Bless, Lord, the labor We bring to serve You

That with our neighbor We may be fed.

Sowing or tilling, We would work with You,

Harvesting, milling For daily bread.

Father, providing Food for Your children,

By Your wise guiding Teach us to share

One with another, So that, rejoicing

With us, all others May know Your care.

(LSB 789)