Who Am I?

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

I'm Kirsten Holmberg and I titled our devotional reading, Who Am I? As a member of the leadership team for a local ministry, part of my job was to invite others to join us as group discussion leaders. My invitations described the time commitment required and outlined the ways leaders would need to engage with their small group participants, both in meetings and during regular phone calls. I was often reluctant to impose on other people being aware of the sacrifice they'd be making to become a leader. And yet sometimes their reply would completely overwhelm me.

I'd be honored. Instead of citing legitimate reasons to decline, they described their gratitude to God for all He'd done in their lives as their reason for being eager to give back. When the time came to give resources toward building a temple for God in 1 Chronicles 29, David had a similar response.

Who am I? And who are my people that we should be able to give as generously as this? David's generosity was driven by gratitude for God's involvement in his life and that of the people of Israel. His response speaks of his humility and his acknowledgement of God's goodness toward foreigners and strangers. Our giving to God's work, whether in time, talent, or treasure, reflects our gratitude to the One who gave to us to begin with. All that we have comes from His hand. In response, we can give gratefully to Him.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 1 Chronicles 29, verses 14-20. But who am I? And who are my people that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your hand. We are foreigners and strangers in Your sight, as were all our ancestors.

Our days on earth are like a shadow without hope. Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building You a temple for Your holy name comes from Your hand, and all of it belongs to You. I know, my God, that You test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent, and now I have seen with joy how willingly Your people who are here have given to You. Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of Your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to You. And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep Your commands, statutes, and decrees, and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided. Then David said to the whole assembly, Praise the Lord your God. So they all praised the Lord, the God of their fathers.

They bowed down, prostrating themselves before the Lord and the King. Let's pray. Dear Father, we thank You for the abundant provision You have supplied us with. Please help us to respond to Your love and care with a generous heart toward others and to You. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.