Two passages in Mark have really spoken to me this week...
I have been encouraged to read in the Word that this is a pleasing offering to the Father. He is not impressed with extravagance or abundance but with a heart yielded to Him with open hands to give all we have. He knows my inadequacies and is pleased when I do what I can. I do not have to seek the approval of others, only to worship my Master with my life every moment of every day. It has been humbling to realize, again, I am so completely inadequate and undeserving of His work in my life. Yet it is such a sweet place to be...resting in Him and is ability, not my own. I am hopeful to see ALL that HE will do in South Asia!
Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant. ~ 2 Corinthians 3.5,6
For they all contributed our of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on. ~ Mark 12.44
She has done what she could ~ Mark 14.3
Since being here I have realized my complete inadequacy to do ANYTHING. I still can't believe the Father chose ME to be here. I have struggled with expectations I had for myself and the expectations others (or I think others) have of me. As I read the story of the widows offering a few days ago I realized how unlike her I have been until I came here. I have always given out of my abundance (not necessarily financial abundance). I have served the Father in areas that I excel in or at least that I can do in my own strength. In preparing to come to South Asia I felt competent in all I had done to get ready. I have already served overseas. I have a degree in M work, for goodness sake. Somewhere in my heart I am sure I thought the Father was lucky to have me on his team...But not anymore. Here it is so different. Now I am daily aware of how completely inadequate I am. I am aware of my spiritual poverty. I have NOTHING to offer the Father except to fall at the foot of the cross and give everything I have.
I have been encouraged to read in the Word that this is a pleasing offering to the Father. He is not impressed with extravagance or abundance but with a heart yielded to Him with open hands to give all we have. He knows my inadequacies and is pleased when I do what I can. I do not have to seek the approval of others, only to worship my Master with my life every moment of every day. It has been humbling to realize, again, I am so completely inadequate and undeserving of His work in my life. Yet it is such a sweet place to be...resting in Him and is ability, not my own. I am hopeful to see ALL that HE will do in South Asia!
Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant. ~ 2 Corinthians 3.5,6
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