I recently received a care package from one of our warfighters stationed in South Korea. He’s there with his wife and their eight-month-old daughter. The cookies, which are just amazing with coffee, have already been opened. And the chocolates—there are a couple boxes that are missing. I’m not sure where they went.

Then there was also a thank-you card that accompanied the care package. It said, “Thank you, Chaplain, for all the time that you spent with me.” He and I spent a lot of time together on Zoom as I was training him to be a religious lay leader. It was so nice to receive this care package and thank-you card.

I share this story with you because it is a picture of our Scripture this week—2 Corinthians 9:8-11: “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: ‘They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.’ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in Thanksgiving to God.”

When it comes to being generous to others with our time, with the skills and abilities that God has given us, and with our finances, oftentimes the temptation can be to think, I don’t have enough to be generous to other people. I give expecting something in return, or I may feel that the recipient of my gift may need to show some sort of gratitude for my gift.

But the apostle Paul erases all of those temptations by pointing us to God’s generosity to us. God has generously given us all that we need. He gives us daily bread, food, clothing, and shelter, and so much more than we need or deserve. He provides family members and friends and extended family to support and encourage us.

He calls pastors and chaplains to provide for our spiritual needs and, most importantly, he gives us his Son, Jesus, so we know that we are forgiven by his death on the cross. We know that we have eternal life in heaven because he rose from the dead for us. And we know that we are not alone because he promises to be with us always.

We have all things because God has sincere concern for us, and he shows it by being generous to us. We will now be generous to others in every way. We will have sincere concern for all people and give knowing that we cannot outgive the Giver, God, who promises to provide all things.

My challenge to you is this: Look around you, and you will see someone in need. Someone who needs your time and your skill set, your abilities, your kindness, your financial hope, a care package from you that you send to them so that, as Paul says, your generosity will result in giving to God.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, just as you provided bread and fish for thousands to fulfill their needs, so you also open your hands to satisfy the desires of all living creatures, especially us, your people. Move us to first give thanks to you for our daily bread and secondly to respond to your generosity with our gifts to others. Today we offer prayers on behalf of all who PCSd this summer as they settle into their new homes and new communities and new commands. Help them to find a welcoming church family where Christ is clearly proclaimed. Provide for their needs—spiritual, physical, and emotional. Remind them that they are not alone and that you are with them. In your name I pray. Amen.