We have almost completed the first three months of 2024. Many of us made resolutions on January 1 promising that we would do more for the Lord. We should take inventory now to determine whether our commitments have kept pace with our resolutions. It is a blessing to give, but our giving must come from our hearts. It is not how much we give, but how we give that matters. Over and over again, we read in the Holy Writ about the value of giving, because it is a blessing to give. In Acts 20:35, we find these words:

“And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Paul makes it clear that he has shared instructions on how to give with  God’s people. Paul gave from his heart, and he was grateful to do so. He demonstrated what it meant to be a faithful servant. He was not only grateful for what the Lord had done in his own personal life, but also how the Lord blessed others as they gave. Notice that in verse 36, after Paul had given these instructions, he knelt down and prayed with them. He loved them, so his appeal for them to give was not a condemnation, but rather from a heart filled with love. Prayerfully, today, we will all see the need to give generously to His church and His people, for all that we have comes from Him.