2 Corinthians 8:1 Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. 2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. 3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. 4 They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. 5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.
Living above their circumstances...that's what the folks in the Macedonian church were doing. They were so caught up in the
"vertical dimension" of walking with God that they did not even consider their own impoverished state when they saw an opportunity to give to others in need. This speaks to me of the nature of faith. Faith is opportunistic and faith is full of trust. The Macedonians saw that their meager contributions could join with gifts from other churches to help the condition of desperate believers in Jerusalem. Their money wasn't enough to improve their own condition but, combined with other gifts, it could make a difference for those persecuted believers in Jerusalem. That was the opportunistic side of faith. The trust side was that God saw their own situation and was fully able to assemble the funds and resources needed for them...even though it would have to come from outside of their own abilities. Living by faith, the Macedonians didn't consider their own situation first...they responded to the needs of others first. They did this because God was already First in their hearts.
"vertical dimension" of walking with God that they did not even consider their own impoverished state when they saw an opportunity to give to others in need. This speaks to me of the nature of faith. Faith is opportunistic and faith is full of trust. The Macedonians saw that their meager contributions could join with gifts from other churches to help the condition of desperate believers in Jerusalem. Their money wasn't enough to improve their own condition but, combined with other gifts, it could make a difference for those persecuted believers in Jerusalem. That was the opportunistic side of faith. The trust side was that God saw their own situation and was fully able to assemble the funds and resources needed for them...even though it would have to come from outside of their own abilities. Living by faith, the Macedonians didn't consider their own situation first...they responded to the needs of others first. They did this because God was already First in their hearts.
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