Your Offering

A child had been saving her money to buy a toy she wanted since Christmas. She finally reached her goal and was excited to know she could buy the toy. The mother planned to take her daughter to buy her toy yet first they had to go buy groceries. As they concluded getting the food the mother discovered she did not have enough money.

The mother searched her pockets and purse repeatedly and the child says, “Mom how much do you need, I have some money?” The clerk says “You need $1.60.” The mother is still searching her purse and the daughter reaches her hand out to her mother saying, “Mom stop looking, I have it.” The clerk is elated to see a child act in such manner and the mother is overwhelmed with joy knowing that her daughter sacrificed money she had been saving since Christmas.

This scenario reminds me of Abraham offering his son to God. For many years Abraham and his wife wanted a child. God finally opened Sarah’s womb and then told Abraham to go up to the mountain and offer his son. Abraham did not hesitate. He did not go back and talk things over with anyone else. He knew he heard the voice of the Lord.

After Abraham went to offer his only son that he prayed and waited many years to have the Lord tells him “Now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son from me” (Genesis 22:12b).

“Can you sacrifice what you’ve worked so hard for?” The child in this story worked hard to save money to buy a toy. I imagine she even put it on her Christmas list; only to wake up Christmas morning to find her request of such toy was not there. She desired this toy for over six months and at last she attained enough money to get it. However, when she saw her mother needed part of the money she had been saving; willingly the daughter gave it to her mother.

Sometimes we can get so caught up in what we worked hard for and miss the blessing in giving up what we worked for. Have you ever spent time on something that you desired? Did you save your money for the investment of this one thing only to have to give it up for another?

Abraham and his wife wanted a child for so long. Prior they made mistakes trying to assist the Lord to get what they desired. At last God gave them what they hoped for, only to be asked to sacrifice the child. To many this makes absolutely no sense. Yet God's way is so much higher than our ways of thinking (Isaiah 55:9). Abraham and the daughter were willing to give even if it meant they would be without their desire.


Does giving seem to be more intense, possibly it is to determine the strength of your faith? Perhaps you have felt confused and sorrowful to give what is asked of you. Maybe even worried. However, the Father was pleased that Abraham obeyed Him in the midst of all the confusion. God will also be pleased that you obey Him when all makes no sense.

What is your desire? Have you worked hard for it? Are you working over time in effort to attain your goal? Would you be willing to give it up? God will not ask you to do anything to break His promise. Sacrificing is giving up what is valuable to you. Abraham’s act of faith showed that he did not place his son over the Lord. The daughter showed she did not place her toy over her mother.

Many are in need today and you have. Consider sacrificing to help another. Pray to God to open your heart to give. Ask the Lord to direct you as of where and when to give. Call upon the Father that you do not hesitate or make any fuss so you may give as He sees fit. God has shown us “by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35).