Have you ever known an extravagant giver?

Pastor Robert Morris, author of The Blessed Life, has set a great example for us to follow.    If you haven’t heard his story, I highly recommend you read this book.

Last night as I was flipping through the channels, I stumbled upon a service taking place at ORU (Oral Roberts University).   Robert Morris was at ORU, sharing the lessons God taught him concerning his finances.  In a nutshell, his money is God’s money.  If God asks him to give it all away — he does.   Pastor Morris has given money, cars, even his home (more than once) to people when God has asked.   God can trust him to be an extravagant giver!

I’m not sharing this next tidbit to get a pat on the back, but to show you what God did.

Recently I had a friend come over to help me with something.   While she was here, I felt I was supposed to give her all of the cash I had in my wallet.  I really didn’t know how much I had in there, but I knew of a larger bill that was tucked near the back.    As our time that evening came to a close my friends and I scattered and went our separate ways.   Once I stepped in my house, the Holy Spirit reminded me about the money.   I called my friend on her phone and told her I was supposed to give her money, but I had forgotten.   She wasn’t going to turn around and come back, but the Holy Spirit prompted her to return.   When I handed her the money, she covered her mouth.  The amount was exactly what she needed because she had a client cancel for that week and this was the amount the client would have paid her!

ALL GLORY TO GOD BECAUSE IT WAS HIS MONEY AND HE BLESSED HIS DAUGHTER WITH IT.

The next day I pulled into our driveway to find a strange car at our home.  As I got out of my vehicle the man approached to see if he could use some video footage we had allowed him to take of our farm weeks earlier.  I agreed he could use it in a corporate video and he paid me THE AMOUNT I GAVE MY FRIEND!  Right then and there, he counted out the money and placed it in my hand.

Yes, God immediately repaid me — even though I didn’t ask or expect Him to do it.

Pastor Morris said he was reading in 1 Kings about King Solomon.  Most of us know that King Solomon was wise and that out of anything he could have asked for, he requested wisdom from God.  But I never thought to ask, “Why did God offer him anything he wanted?” 

1 Kings 3:3-5
Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship. The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings. That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

Pastor Morris pointed out that it was customary of the king to offer one sacrifice on the altar, but Solomon was extravagant and sacrificed ONE THOUSAND.  It was THAT NIGHT that the Lord appeared to Solomon.

Solomon didn’t give to “get” — but gave out of admiration and love for His God.

That should be our heart as well.

We give out of our extravagant love for our Lord.

We give because the money really belongs to Him.

Are you an extravagant giver?

It is definitely something to think about.

1 Kings 3:7-14
“Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies— I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!  And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.”

Earlier, before King David died and handed the throne over to Solomon – he said that Solomon was wise.   What a wise and mature thing to ask for:  WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT.    God blessed Solomon more than he could have ever imagined – in an extravagant way!

God also gave extravagantly to us by sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.  What a costly, extravagant gift.  An innocent, spotless life that took on our sickness, disease, and sin.

What an extravagant God!