Written by: John Sernaque
Stewardship
CS - Counsels on Stewardship (1940) Chapter 12—A Test of Loyalty
So the Lord has imparted to us heaven’s richest treasure in giving us Jesus. With Him He has given us all things richly to enjoy. The productions of the earth, the bountiful harvests, the treasures of gold and silver, are His gifts. Houses and lands, food and clothing, He has placed in the possession of men. He asks us to acknowledge Him as the Giver of all things; and for this reason He says, Of all your possessions I reserve a tenth for Myself, besides gifts and offerings, which are to be brought into My storehouse. This is the provision God has made for carrying forward the work of the gospel. {CS 65.4}
It was by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who gave His life for the life of the world, that this plan for systematic giving was devised. He who left the royal courts, who laid aside His honor as Commander of the heavenly hosts, who clothed His divinity with humanity in order to uplift the fallen race; He who for our sake became poor that we through His poverty might be rich, has spoken to men, and in His wisdom has told them His own plan for sustaining those who bear His message to the world.—The Review and Herald, February 4, 1902. {CS 66.1}
The Lord has a thousand ways to provide of which we know not. We are the recipients of all these things that Christ Jesus provides for us, including Himself. He has given us all these things for our benefit. All He asks in return is that we acknowledge Him as the Giver of all things, and that we return a portion of His gifts to us for carrying out the plan of salvation. We are to spread the Good News, locally and everywhere, even to the four corners of the world. We are to further His cause through His plan of systematic giving to proclaim the everlasting gospel message to the world. Then can the end come for us to enjoy our heavenly mansions.
Our kind and gracious Lord,
We come to You in thanksgiving for all that You have done for us. We thank You for all Your loving kindness in the way You provide for all our needs. We acknowledge You as the Giver of all things, including Yourself, our greatest gift, that we may have eternal life. You gave us Your all, and it is our prayer that we can continue the work here on earth in carrying out the work of proclaiming Your everlasting gospel to all humanity. We pray all will remain faithful in their giving so the harvest of souls will be full. We thank You and praise You, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
