Generosity: A Spiritual Prompter To Divine Favor.
The LORD appeared to Abraham . . . while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. . . . he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. He said, "If I have found favor in your eyes, my Lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way -- now that you have come to your servant." "Very well," they answered, "do as you say." . . .
Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them.
While they ate, he stood near them under a tree. "Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him. "There, in the tent," he said. Then one of them said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." Genesis 18:1-10
Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them.
While they ate, he stood near them under a tree. "Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him. "There, in the tent," he said. Then one of them said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." Genesis 18:1-10
One of the things that I find most arresting and fascinating in Scripture is God's response to generosity. It is true: divine favor is purely a gracious act from God; we can never compel God to do anything for us. Nonetheless, the evidence is overwhelming that the heart of God is uniquely touched by genuine generosity. Paul tapped deep into a core prompter to divine favor when he wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:7, "God loves a cheerful giver."
The truth is: when you love someone, there is no telling what you will do to bless the person. Every time God is touched by a generous act, His response is one of immense blessing.
Generosity taps into the very heart of God and is a prompter to divine favor. Abraham encountered three men near his tent. Two were angels, but one was the LORD himself (v17).
Abraham showed them lavish hospitality and refreshed them in that hot and dusty desert environment. The divine response to Abraham's generosity was: "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son."
Why was God walking in that hot desert environment? Did God really need to stop, eat and rest? Did he really need to walk by Abraham's tent? God is all-powerful. He didn't really need to go through all that. I believe God was simply giving Abraham a spiritual opportunity at the human level to prompt divine favor and expedite his blessings.
God is so generous that He did not spare His only son for our redemption. When we show generosity, we are tapping into the very essence, image, and goodness of God and bringing untold pleasure to His heart. Generosity is a spiritual prompter to divine favor. Live it out!
The truth is: when you love someone, there is no telling what you will do to bless the person. Every time God is touched by a generous act, His response is one of immense blessing.
Generosity taps into the very heart of God and is a prompter to divine favor. Abraham encountered three men near his tent. Two were angels, but one was the LORD himself (v17).
Abraham showed them lavish hospitality and refreshed them in that hot and dusty desert environment. The divine response to Abraham's generosity was: "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son."
Why was God walking in that hot desert environment? Did God really need to stop, eat and rest? Did he really need to walk by Abraham's tent? God is all-powerful. He didn't really need to go through all that. I believe God was simply giving Abraham a spiritual opportunity at the human level to prompt divine favor and expedite his blessings.
God is so generous that He did not spare His only son for our redemption. When we show generosity, we are tapping into the very essence, image, and goodness of God and bringing untold pleasure to His heart. Generosity is a spiritual prompter to divine favor. Live it out!
Prayer: Lord, nothing I ever give can compare with your own heart of generosity. Help me never to hold back from blessing your kingdom with a selfless life of generosity. Amen.