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Yorkminster Park Speaks - Week Three

Monday | All These Things will be Given
Submitted by: Tom Klima

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
- Matthew 6:33, NIV

Thank you for this opportunity to write a review on one of my favourite verses. I consider verse 33 a core verse in this section of the chapter from verse 25 to the end. I think this section is very important especially for a materialistic generation and should probably be memorized by all Christians.

Jesus is emphasizing the fact that our Heavenly Father will provide clothing and food for all those who put their faith in Him. This is a promise that God has given us. This promise is also stated in Psalm 111 verse 5: "He provides food for those who fear him, he remembers his covenant forever." Verse 33 also reminds us to question and to reorder the priorities of our lives. Jesus is assuring those who have put their love and faith in his Heavenly Father that their needs will be provided for. One might ask how do we seek his kingdom and his righteousness above all other things? Jesus does not provide us with an answer. I believe the answer for each one of us is personal and works itself out through our faith. One answer to this question may also lie within verse 34. If we seek God's kingdom daily, these things will be given to us as well. This reminds us that we have a continuous and ongoing relationship with God that we must practice daily. I believe that if we thought about these things on a regular basis we would avoid a lot of the stress many of us suffer unnecessarily.

Your Questions or Comments?

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Tuesday | Giving Freely
Submitted by: Paula Willis

You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us - in one stroke he became poor and we became rich."
- 2 Corinthians 8:9, The Message

When this verse is viewed in context, we see that Paul has been exhorting the Corinthians to continue the good work they started the year before, to continue the collection they started. He calls the Corinthians to "test the genuineness" of their love through their generosity. His touch is so light that one might not notice he has also just masterfully taught the life of Christ and who He is in such little space.

But I was thinking, what if I had to apply this verse in the context of today? So, I thought it might be fun to change the words a little to test my own genuineness. I hope that you all will do it, too! In my case, I will pretend that my children are speaking of me: "You are familiar with the generosity of mummy. Instead of getting herself all sorts of things, she looks out for us."

By my giving away, becoming poor in a manner of speaking, my children receive what they need and so are enriched. That would be a flattering verse about me but I also know in truth that I do not always resemble Christ in my generosity. In fact sometimes I can be quite stingy. This is something I do not like to face but it is true. And here is the terrible thing: when I do not give away patience, for instance, to my children, empty myself of my own self-interest and give to them what they need, we all become impoverished. By not giving up space in myself, I leave no room for God so I too wind up with less by not giving! True poverty is a fist that will not loose its grip on what it treasures and so to be free is blessed simplicity! We need only open our hearts and hands. The rest is grace. We are a family in Christ. We are the church. I pray we give as freely as we have received.

Questions to Ponder:
When do you find yourself holding back?
How do you see the grace of God working in your life?

Final Prayer Thought:
I pray we have the courage and faith to lay aside our self-interest in the manner of Christ and give generously to the church, to our families, to all those we are called to serve. Amen

Your Questions or Comments?

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Wednesday | His Kingdom First
Submitted by: Audra Young

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
- Matthew 6:33, NIV

We often try to plan everything in our lives, including getting together with friends and taking vacations. Often, we don't seek God's kingdom first. Romans 14:17 KJV says: " For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." While in my 20s, my friend and I planned an Italian vacation, thinking about the handsome Italian men and the food. After we prayed about it, I experienced an inner voice saying, "Don't go." I told my friend about this but we continued to plan our trip. Then we received an invitation to go to another vacation destination - not Italy. We declined the invitation and continued to plan our hikes through Italy.

Before our vacation, my friend injured her leg and I came down with a severe fever and was told not to exercise. Vacation time came and needless to say, we went to Italy and experienced one of the worst floods in Italy's history. The roads closed and we spent most of our vacation time inside.

We had prayed... seeking Italy. If we had listened to the Holy Spirit, we would have experienced something much different, which would have had God's peace and joy at the centre of it, not an Italian flood.
This was a lesson for my friend and me. As we live each day and make our plans for the future, God wants to be first. Philip Clancy has said, "Because Jesus has promised to care for us every day - and that includes tomorrow - we can live by faith one day at a time." (Matthew 6:33-34)

Question to Ponder:
Do you seek God's Kingdom in everything you do or plan to do?

Final Prayer Thought:
Father, we praise You and thank You that you have plans for us, which include Your joy and peace. Help us to be ever mindful and to seek You first in all that we do each day. Amen.

Your Questions or Comments?

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Thursday | Stewardship Devotion
Submitted by: Rev. Dale Rose

"Stewardship is the act of organizing your life so that God can spend you."
- Lynn A. Miller, author

When was the last time you heard of people begging or pleading to give their money to a charitable cause? Most of the time it is just the opposite. Usually it is like pulling teeth to get people to be more generous. Charities struggle with this issue, especially in a day and age when we see a lot of abuse of people's generosity. Most of us are pretty careful about what organizations we support. Even the church has to be careful these days, in order to give a good accounting of their stewardship.

For this reason, I find Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 8:3-4 to be quite remarkable, inspirational and more than a little humbling: "They... gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints." (NRSV)

Paul is referring to a Macedonian church which was going through a tough time. They were struggling to make ends meet. Paul was
asking for funds to assist the church in Jerusalem, where many members were suffering economic hardship and persecution because of their Christian faith. He naturally turned to some of the churches he had planted and established on his missionary journeys. It appears that Paul didn't even bother to ask the Macedonians to contribute, because of their extreme poverty.

But this church found out about Paul's plan, and begged him for the opportunity to participate. And this church ended up giving an amazing gift which exceeded Paul's expectations. They truly modeled the example of Jesus and the apostle writes just a few verses later: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9)

So what about us? How do we give as God's people? Do we give grudgingly, always counting the cost? Or do we give eagerly and enthusiastically, begging for the opportunity to help and support Christ's church? C.S. Lewis was once asked how much a Christian should give to the work of God's kingdom. He said: "Give at least until it hurts a little bit." I think that is an excellent definition of Christian stewardship.

Questions to Ponder:
Have you ever been so passionate about a cause that you couldn't wait to donate of your time and money?
Can you think of a ministry that you are similarly passionate about in God's kingdom?
How can we change our attitude to give more eagerly?

Final Prayer Thought:
Lord, make me eager and excited to give of myself to your kingdom work. Help me to give not just "leftovers," but to give sacrificially. Amen.

Your Questions or Comments?

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Friday | Gus Gets Breakfast
Submited by: Rev. Cheryle Hanna

"Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."
- Luke 12:15

In the Disney Classic "Cinderella" the young girl generously supplies breakfast for the bevy of mice that share the house, but ‘Gus' has trouble with the chickens and comes up empty handed. The young girl shoos them away and pours out a handful of corn just for Gus. Gus happily picks up as many as he can carry and hurries back to safety. On the way another mouse had dropped one kernel of corn. Gus cannot resist the temptation to have one more. Predictably when Gus reaches down to pick up the additional kernel he drops all he had gained.

I think God realizes we need of food, clothing, shelter and livelihood and places ‘Cinderella type' people and situations in our lives so that we live well and enjoy life. The question is: when is enough, enough? Enough is enough when we are distracted from who and what is important to the acquisition of (blank) and we can fill in the blank anyway we want. We are also distracted from the needs of others and how we might be a ‘Cinderella-type' to the Gus in our lives.

The life God demonstrated through the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ is one the gives and shares and loves and blesses, but is also blessed and full and rich and joyful is unexplainable ways.

Questions to Ponder:
Consider the ‘Cinderella-type' in your life and how he or she made a difference.
Think of how you may be able to pick up just enough kernels for yourself and leave some in plain sight for someone else.

Final Prayer Thought:
Thank you God for providing me with kernels for breakfast each day, and more besides! Thank for the men, women who have moved the chickens in my path so that I might have the opportunities I enjoy. Help me to share what I have been given with ‘Gus' and his family so that all of God's children will have enough. Amen.

Your Questions or Comments?

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Saturday | God Shaped Vacuum
Submitted by: Rev. Sam Lee

"I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty... I can do all things through him who strengthens me."
- Philippians 4:11-13

What is your greatest desire? What makes you the most happy? Is it money, fame, family, your status, your career or is it your
relationships? The apostle Paul, from jail, writes this letter to the church of Philippi with an amazing and unbelievable statement.
He has found the secret of happiness. He has learned to be content in ANY and EVERY situation. Whether he has a little or a lot, he has learned to be content (that is being satisfied) whatever the circumstances. So what was his secret? It was in knowing Jesus Christ. In Philippians 3:8, Paul states that he considers all things rubbish compared to knowing Jesus Christ. Knowing Jesus was his primary desire and passion.

St Augustine, who is generally considered one of the greatest Christian thinkers of all time, after living a life of hedonism and coming to faith, wrote this in his book called Confessions: "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until it rests in you." He came to the realization that nothing in this life can satisfy our deepest desire, a desire that can only be met by God. It is only by putting Jesus at the center of our hearts that our hearts can find rest.

So back to our first question. What is your greatest desire? In what or where do you rest your heart? May it rest in Jesus Christ who gives us strength to do all things.

Questions to Ponder:
Paul considered all things rubbish and loss compared to knowing Jesus. That meant that he had to let go of the things that he used to consider to mean all things to him. How then does this passage relate to stewardship? What part of "let go and let God" aids us in being better stewards?
What is it in your life that you have a hard time letting go? What do you put before God that you need to give up to God?

Final Prayer Thought:
May the prayer of St Augustine become your prayer as you find rest in Christ. "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until it rests in you." Amen.

Your Questions or Comments?

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