Leftovers

I’ve always loved leftovers.  

First of all, you don’t have to cook or make much of a mess. You just go to the fridge and pop it into the microwave.

Secondly, I think a lot of things, especially soups, taste better once they’ve sat in the fridge for a day or so.

In fact, I like leftovers so much that when I cook, I intentionally plan on leftovers. We call them “makeovers,” that is, you cook so much that you are always making more than you need for one meal, or “makeovers.” 

I love leftovers when it comes to eating, but I despise them (as does the Lord, see any of the prophet Amos) when it comes to giving to the church.

We give to God first, not last. If you do all of your other budget planning and then see what’s left over for the church, the church often ends up with hardly anything. The Bible (Lev 23:9-14) is clear about bringing our first fruits as our offering to the Lord, and even celebrates the risen Christ as the “first fruits of those who have died.” (I Cor 15:20) In other words, Christ's resurrection is the first thing that God intended to do and then everyone else will follow.

So as you think about your estimate of giving this year. Don’t put your giving to the church down in that slush fund of what’s not yet committed.

Make your commitments to Jesus Christ first. It sets a tone for your life, a plan for your days, and orients everything you do to the love and mercy of Christ.

In Christ,

Pastor John D. Morris