17/11/2023 - FILL YOUR HAND

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The gold for things of gold and the silver for things of silver, and for all kinds of work to be done by the hands of craftsmen. Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the LORD?” 1 Chronicles 29.5

The greatest lesson we learn from the offering raised by King David for the building of the House of God was that everyone filled their hands and gave generously. This should be the example for those who wish to participate in the divine work by faith. Those who are not generous in their giving have never heard the voice of the Lord teaching them to be guided by the Holy Spirit in this matter (Luke 6.38). On that day, David showed everyone how to proceed when it came to the heave offering. He was obedient in everything!

Looking at Jesus’ parable of the sower, we see that the important thing is to have the soil prepared for the seed and to be careful when throwing it to the wind (Mark 4.3). If the grain falls by the side of the road, it will soon be eaten by the birds of the sky, and the production that should occur will be zeroed. So the sower needs to look which way the wind is blowing. If he is guided by the Lord, he will know the time and the way to do it (Ecclesiastes 8:5,6).

If the sower acts on his own, heedless of the Word, and leaves the pebbles in the ground, when the seed sprouts, it will be burned, and the good harvest will never come. God’s servants understand whether the hearts of the people are right or need to be guided. With wisdom and fear, they prepare others to also serve as prescribed in the Bible. Some close themselves off to further instruction; others already want to do the work as if it were up to them alone.

It is foolish to sow among thorns and lose the work. But the people who are not attuned to the Master’s warnings will not listen to Him and will continue to live according to their own desires, which are attitudes considered “thorns” by Jesus: the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things (Mark 4.19). In any of these cases, there won’t be the reward that God’s Spirit would produce on the good earth. Follow the Scriptures!

According to Christ, the seed that falls on good soil symbolizes those who receive it with gratitude, and the harvest will prove this, for it will be thirty, sixty and one hundred-fold. Nowadays, with the knowledge of scientists, it is possible to give any land a treatment and make it produce on par with the best cultivated soils in the world. Those who follow the Bible’s guidelines will see it happen.

David asked who was willing to fill their hand, following the feeling of God in his heart, and the outcome was the joy of all and that of the king too. He set an example and sowed much. With that, he saw abundance of riches to start off and finish the construction. When He commanded the disciples to go two by two without taking resources, preceding Him to the places He would visit, Jesus asked them on their return if they had lacked anything, and they said no (Luke 22.35).

We do not have to force anyone into anything, but teach them to obey the Lord’s instructions. He shows us how to apply the means for the work, allocating the materials for each part to be done. The people gave willingly! Hallelujah!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares