25 Oct November 23rd Daily Devotional

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

GOD SUPPLIES YOU TO BE GENEROUS

2 Corinthians 9:10-11 “Now He who supplies seed to the Sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

Most people when they dream of winning the Mega Millions or Powerball lotteries think of what they will purchase with all that money.  At the top of the list is a new home fitting for that amount of money.  Following closely behind the home is a luxury car and of course a lot of exotic travel.

St. Paul, in today’s devotional verse says that God will supply you and make you rich.  However, he says God has an entirely different purpose for doing this.  He will “enrich you in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion. . .” (2 Corinthians 9:11)  God will enrich you to enable you to be generous.  And, note, included in God’s gifts mentioned in these two verses is His gift of righteousness to you.

Secondly, God will enrich you not so you can purchase that new, big, fancy home, car, and other luxuries.  No, He will fill you with righteousness and His many other gifts to enable you to generously give to others what you receive from Him.  This will result, says St. Paul, in the recipients of your generous gifts giving thanks to God.

You are the recipient of God’s good gifts.  The greatest of these is the gift of His Son Jesus, the gift of faith in His Son, and the gift of everlasting life.  Though Jesus was rich, He became poor, in order for you to become rich in righteousness. (2 Corinthians 8:9)  Having received this gift you in turn are able to pass it on to others that they too will become as rich as you are through your faith in Christ Jesus.

Prayer:  Thank you, Lord, for enriching me in righteousness through Your gift to me of faith in Your Son. Help me to be generous in sharing this gift with others. Amen.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, The King of creation!

O my soul, praise Him, for He is your health and salvation!
Let all who hear Now To His temple draw near,

Joining in glad adoration!

Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things is wondrously reigning

And, as on wings of an eagle, uplifting, sustaining.

Have you not seen All that is needful has been

Sent by His gracious ordaining?

Praise to the Lord, who has fearfully, wondrously, made you,

Health has bestowed and, when heedlessly falling, has stayed you.

What need or grief Ever has failed of relief?

Wings of His mercy did shade you.

Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;

Surely His goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.

Ponder anew What the Almighty can do

As with His love He befriends you.

Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!

All that has life and breath, come now with praises before Him!

Let the Amen Sound from His people again;

Gladly forever adore Him!

(LSB 790)