Draw the Circle - Day 19 - Memorial Offerings

"Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God." - Acts 10:4

One of my favorite stories.  Cornelius, a Gentile, is generous and devout  and God notices and God answers.  Jewish religion expected animal sacrifices to get God's attention>  God says He's more interested in the heart - that praying and caring for the poor is a true memorial offering.

I love that this is a man is doing the right thing without knowing the right Person.  If anyone doubts that God is just to those who live godly lives yet do not know His Son, look no further.  God showed Cornelius and his family mercy and orchestrated a life changing visit from Peter who shared the Good News.  While preaching, Pentecost 2 exploded on the scene!

Read here if unfamiliar with the story.

If anything is going to unlock the power of prayer, it's that we too devote ourselves to God AND care for the poor. "Your prayers and gifts to the poor . . ."

Now let's be careful here.  Motive is important.  You can't buy God's actions by giving to the poor.  Rather, praying and giving are a response to a love for God.  God notices those who love Him.

Love.

A loving God - who delights in His children who love Him, who gives good gifts to them and delights in their unwrapping.

17 Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. - James 1:17

I guess, I'm writing to suggest  . . . make sure you get your bearings straight.  Make sure you re-calibrate.  Determine if your compass heading is still pointing true North.

None of this can come from anywhere other than love of God.  Prayers and giving fueled by love.

I mean this love stuff is pretty basic, but in our finite-ness and sinfulness, we can still get more focused on the gift than the Giver.

Or we can turn our prayers into a religious to-do list and along those lines play the reciprocity game. "God, I'm praying a lot and giving a lot - when are you going to answer my request?"

So take your spiritual pulse.  Is your greatest desire to commune with God?

As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with God?- Psalm 42:1-2

Long for God and keep praying.