Giving Brings Receiving
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 2 Corinthians 9:6
Jim Penner says: ‘It was a cold snowy day as my mother drove my sister and me to church. Living at the bottom of the Rocky Mountains I’d become accustomed to slipping and sliding. I remember my mother being tense…and hoping she’d have enough traction to make the curve without ploughing into the semi-truck ahead. Her tires were bald – new ones were low on our priority list that included food and shelter. As Mom placed a check in the offering that day, I remember thinking there were better uses for those funds. Yet here she was tithing! Surely God would understand we had so many needs at home. But there was a contentment about her…a peace that passed understanding as she gave to the Lord cheerfully and gratefully…After the service a church elder walked over to her and said, “I see your tires are bald…come by my shop tomorrow and I’ll give you some snow tires.” Mom said, “But I can’t pay you.” “No problem,” he replied, “I just want to help.” That day I witnessed two levels of giving: Mom with her offering, and a kind man who wanted to help another human being.’ Big things come from little things, and ‘he who sows bountifully will…reap bountifully.’ As John Mason observes, ‘The miraculous realm of God always has to do with multiplication…Suppose a kernel of corn produces one stalk with two ears, and each ear has 200 kernels. From those 400 kernels come 400 stalks with 160,000 kernels…all from a single kernel. Some blessings are material, some spiritual. We don’t always know what we need most, but God does, and a generous spirit opens the floodgates of heaven.’ (Courtesy of Lutheran Church Charities: devotion@lutheranchurchcharities.org)
PRAYER
Heaven Father, help me always remember I am more blessed in giving than the one I give to. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
EASY WAYS TO SUPPORT THE STL MISSION There is a variety of ways to give your support to the mission of STL. For many the easiest is to simply mail in a check or drop your offering off at the church. If you prefer electronic giving, STL offers multiple options:
- Text “GIVE” to 1-586-800-2223
- Visit: https://www.stl-eastpointe.org/2015/07/13/mission-support/
- Go to https://www.elexiogiving.com/app/giving/stthoms
- Through your Pay Pal account
- Scan this Quick Response (QR) code
These will connect you to our on-line giving form, where you can have your mission support offering automatically taken from your checking account or use your credit or debit card (STL is charged extra fees for debit and credit card transactions). You can even set up recurring giving with many of these options! IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, OR DESIRE ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CALL THE CHURCH OFFICE (586-772-3370).
