Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

“In the course of time” vs. “on his part”

Today’s reading had a couple of things that stood out, or some thoughts that when combined just reinforced, but I will just focus on the main one. The first comes out of Genesis 4, when we look at the sacrifices of Cain and Abel, it seems we always focus on what was offered; Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground, while Abel brought the firstborn of his flock..The one thing I never heard anyone talk about though, was not the content of these offerings but their intent. What I mean is when we read this passage read that it was in the “course of time” that Cain presented his offering while Able’s was done “on his part.” It appears Cain may have been reluctant, not doing it out of gratitude but out of duty; while Able’s offering was given not because it was required, but rather because he wanted to give it.

In Luke this is kind of reinforced with the comparison to a servant/slave performing thier duty. We also with the story of the cleansing of the ten lepers, where the nine performed the duty required for being cleansed of leprosy, while the tenth upon seeing he was cleansed returned to Jesus out of gratitude to praise God.

Often when as Christians we talk about giving we focus on the content and not the intent. Giving is our time, talent, and treasure; it isn’t just financial support but the giving of ourselves in service to God. So when you give back to God, no matter how you are able, are you doing so out of a sense of pure duty or are you doing it out of gratitude for what God has done for you?