Wednesday, March 28, 2012 - Sticky Offerings; Free Refills

"But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, 

I am glad and rejoice with all of you."  

Philippians 2:17

One of my favorite kitchen tools is my Pampered Chef dry/liquid measuring cup.  The inner white cup slides into a measuring sleeve from either direction, and has liquid measurements on one side and dry/solid measurements on the other (and they are different!).  The liquid measuring side works like any other measuring cup, but measuring  dry, solid or sticky ingredients means:
*pulling the inner cup out of the sleeve so its bottom aligns with the desired measurement, 
*filling the space with the ingredient, 
*holding the cup over the mixing bowl, and 
*pushing the contents out with the inner cup. 
      Using a traditional measuring cup and a spoon means scraping peanut butter or molasses and still leaving remnants, but I know I'll get the full measure of the sticky stuff with the well-designed tool pictured to your right. 
     Have you noticed we tend to offer God sticky offerings?  We intend to give Him our time first thing in the morning, but either sleep sticks our eyes shut or the day's urgency clings like flypaper to our minds when we try to focus.  We say we'll sacrifice to help hungry people, hurting people, but then laziness or forgetfulness keep us stuck in inactivity. We truly want God to use us to make a difference, but our desire screeches to a halt somewhere between fear, little faith and lack of commitment.  It's time to stop pampering ourselves with excuses and start scraping out the sacrifices God's Love compels us to make.
     Lord, thank You for pouring out one blessing after another on us. Our cups run over with Your goodness and mercy, with all the ways Your Presence comforts us. Please, don't let us stagnate in blessings, but make us open-ended rivers who carry and pour out what You've done and Who You are back to You and into other people's lives. We trust You to use it all for Your Glory and we know You give free refills without measure.
In the Name of Jesus, Giver of Good Gifts


"Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in My house. 
Test Me in this way,” says the LORD of Hosts. 
“See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure."
Malachi 3:10