MEMORISE:
Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: Exodus 22:29a
READ: Matthew 26:6-13
6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
MESSAGE
What is a timely offering? It is a worthy gift that is offered to God at the right time. People who offer timely offering are always inspired or motivated to do so by unseen divine power. Such people usually tell stories of a strong inner influence encouraging them to do a worthy deed, particularly in the house of God in support of His work. Today’s Bible reading gives us a perfect example of a timely offering. A few days to the very weekend that Jesus was arrested and crucified, a woman was motivated by the Holy Spirit to anoint Him with a very precious ointment. In the presence of the disciples and a few guests, she poured an alabaster box of very precious ointment on His head. The disciples responded with anger because they could not understand the reason for action, but Jesus explained it to them in Matthew 26:2:
“For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.”
Just as Jesus said, this woman’s precious ointment was the only perfume that He had on His body throughout His three-day sojourn in the grave. After His death, by the time some women arrived in the morning of the third day to anoint His body, it was too late because Jesus had already risen from the grave (Luke 23:55-24:3). The woman who did this good work received her due reward, stated in Matthew 26:13. You will receive your due reward for obedience in Jesus’ Name.
God is not only interested in your obedience; He is also interested in your timely obedience, according to today’s memory verse. God wants you to render to Him on time the first portion of your produce which has been set aside for Him. He wants you to honour Him with one tenth of your income and bring all your offerings without delay. Delayed offerings are not acceptable to God. In our service to God, He demands our punctuality. Be faithful in attending the teaching and preaching sessions in your church. Arrive on time, appropriately dressed and ready to make meaningful contributions toward the effectiveness of all that is going on. Be faithful in the giving of your time, talents, and in rendering other services to God. There is something about rising early to praise and worship God as exemplified by the life of David (Psalm 57:8-9, Psalm 63:1). Whatever you have decided to do for God, do it on time. He is interested in the timing of your actions. Proverbs 8:17 says,
“I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”
Abraham, David, Solomon, and other God lovers in the Bible always rendered anything they have to offer to God promptly and without delay, because only a timely offering is acceptable to God.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, grant me grace to yield to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to give timely offerings that will release a reward from heaven in Jesus’ Name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 18-20, Ephesians 4.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 12: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE
1.Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise,
Let them flow in endless praise.
2.Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3.Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
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