Pastor's Page
Worshiping From Poverty
by Pastor Lynwood
For most of us, and for much of our lives, I think most of us would have to admit that our faith has been moderately “comfortable.” We have enjoyed the luxuries of Western Christianity: abundant resources, some degree of social acceptance (benign as it may be), and a mild sense of contentment encouraged by the sedative of ease.
So, we tend to give God His “required quota” - a token of our time, a token from our checkbooks, and all too often, only a “token” of our hearts. Anything more would upset the arrangement and run the risk of ripping away the things we find most precious: our “comfort zones.”
What we all need to recognize however, is that such seductive comfort requires a disastrous presumption: that we are self-sufficient. It assumes we can manage on our own and that we are not, in fact, utterly desperate for and dependent on God as our Source. Comfort is in fact a cataract; slowly spreading until eventually our sight is shrouded with a blurry haze. We lose our vision of God. And when that happens, we lose our ability to truly worship. We lose everything.
The widow in Mark 12 had barely enough to purchase a piece of moldy bread. Some in front of her were dropping large sums into the temple collection from their hefty rolls of cash. What did she have to offer? What difference would her paltry gift make in the grand scheme of God’s kingdom? She must have felt such shame.
Yet, something within her yearned to give, to bow her heart to her God through offering the little—the all—she had. She quietly, gingerly, stepped to the front, bowed, dropped her two small coins in the basket, and quickly turned to shuffle away. No one even noticed.
Except Jesus - He saw, and He marveled. In fact, He told His disciples that she gave the most lavish gift of all. Her gift was the most extravagant because she recognized her brokenness . . . her need. She was giving “out of poverty.”
Too often I am afraid we are all guilty of giving out of our abundance. We tend to believe we are managing well, have it all together, and are comfortable—very comfortable. And so, we don’t really need God, and I give Him only His “appropriate” portion.
And sadly, that is not worship at all.
May we as the people of HBC be known for our “being poor in spirit” -
That the promise we will “see God” may be equally ours!
– Pastor Lynwood
