Monday, March 9th

Let me start today with this question. What is God known for? What identifies who God is? What is he about? The image does he bear? What is he known for?

Off the bat, we think love, forgiveness, grace, truth. I agree and more. But there’s a word that I think we overlook that impacts them all; generous. God is a God of generous love, generous forgiveness, generous grace, generous truth. God is abundant, overflowing, not stingy or limited.

We are in a sermon series called Faith Essentials, being with Jesus, being like Jesus, and doing the things that Jesus did. Which you could also ask, is that what you are known for? When people are around you, do they know that you’ve been with Jesus, you are like Jesus, and you do the things that Jesus did.

Which today’s topic is a great example of that question, what are you known for and does it look like what God is known for?

You see, when we come to the conversation around generosity many times we pucker up, grab our wallets and say, “here comes the money talk.” Or I stand sheepishly here trying to “convince” you that being generous is prudent.

I’m not going to do that, ANYMORE. Because why should we be fearful or worrisome to talk about what God is known for and how he has invited us into that generosity as well.

Because generosity isn’t a suggestion, it isn’t a good idea. Generosity is who God is, it is seen in creation, was distorted through the fall, but was radical in the way Jewish culture was established and revolutionized by Jesus. Generosity is essential because it is essential for God.

Generosity reflects the image of God. Generosity reflects WHO God is. Let’s see God’s image and intention of generosity within the world. We’ll start with the creation story … in Psalm 104. That’s right, we typically go to the creation story in Genesis 1 and 2, but I want you to see how the Psalmist rewrites the creation story. It gives us this beautiful image of God’s generosity.

Read Psalm 104:1, 5-18, 24-28- Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty…. 5 He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. 6 You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. 7 But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight; 8 they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them. 9 You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth. 10 He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. 11 They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. 12 The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. 13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work. 14 He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth: 15 wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts. 16 The trees of the Lord are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. 17 There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the junipers. 18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the hyrax…. 24 How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. 25 There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small. 26 There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there. 27 All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. 28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.

How do you see God’s generosity within creation? Within the Psalmist’s portrayal? What does it mean for you to see and hear God’s image and intention of generosity at creation?
Pause with God around this Psalm today.