Tuesday November 14th, 2023
« There is an appointed time (season) for everything. And there is a (specific) time for every event on earth to take place »
1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.
2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.
3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.
5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?
6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,
7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’
8 And they remembered His words.
Timeliness is one of the major conditions for offerings to be acceptable before God.
As we see in our Bible reading of today, some people went very early to the sepulcher to anoint the body of our Lord Jesus Christ but He had already risen.
Their offering was late!
A few days to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ however, a woman had been criticized for anointing Jesus’ feet with an expensive ointment.
Despite this criticism, Jesus said in Matthew 26:10-12 GNT
10 … “Why are you bothering this woman? It is a fine and beautiful thing that she has done for me.
11 You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me.
12 What she did was to pour this perfume on my body to get me ready for burial.
The disciples came on the resurrection morning to anoint Jesus; however, He had resurrected!
The angles asked the disciples who went to the sepulcher an important question in Luke 24:5 NLT
« … “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? »
Whenever the Holy Spirit asks you to do something, no matter how illogical it may sound, please do it promptly and cheerfully.
If you procrastinate, it may be a belated offering or service.
This disciples who came to anoint Jesus went back with their perfumes because the Lord was no longer in the grave. .
Also, some people are in the habit of piling up their tithes for two or three months, sometimes even longer.
Some say “I borrowed my tithes to pay later!”
This is why some lose their reward of tithing – giving unacceptably, not as and when due.
Our offerings also extend to our kind gestures to needy brethren. James 2:15-16 NLT says
« 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? »
May the Holy Spirit continue to guide us and may we obey Him promptly as we journey from this world to our eternal home with Christ, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Application – Listen to the Holy Spirit: what is He telling you to do? Do it now.
Author: Bishop Enoch. A. Adeboye.
Edited by Naomie
Freely you received, freely you must give (Math 10:8) , kindly share this devotion, and the Lord will bless you for it .
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