Receiving and Giving
We’ve all heard the saying “it’s better to give than to receive”. And while that statement has good and honorable intent, when it comes to our relationship with Christ we must first receive from Him (daily nourishment) which then enables us to pour out into (nourish) others.
In other words, we have to first develop our own intimate relationship with Christ before we can effectively share and minister Him to others. That seems like a no brainer, right? The reality is we often do the opposite – we give and give and give (all with good intent in the name of Christ) and fail to rest retreat and replenish, and as a result eventually burn out and become discouraged. Remember, you can’t give what you don’t have. So always stay in hot pursuit, seeking intimacy with God above all else so we can remain in the flow of God and not only be blessed but be a blessing to others.
This very point is driven home in one of Chris Tiegreen’s devotional prayers: “Lord, I do long for you; my soul cries for your presence. Satisfy me with your embrace. Give me the faith to know in the depths of my heart how thoroughly loved and valued I am—and then to love others as I have been loved. As extravagantly as I’ve received, let me extravagantly give.”
Love You All to Life (LYATL)!!
Leave a Reply