“As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.”
2 Corinthians 9:9-12 NLT
The poor people in Jerusalem and the surrounding area were in need, and the offering to be collected from the Corinthians, and added to that from the Macedonians, was going to make a big difference to their lives. It would enable them to get back on their feet and provide freedom from the worry about where the next meal was going to come from. Famine is a terrible condition. It was then and still is now, and according to the latest estimates, in 2024, 673 million people (1 in 11 globally) went hungry. The statistics are even more alarming because the world generates sufficient food to feed everyone, and we have the bizarre situation that in the affluent West, people are having to receive injections and pills to counter the effects of overeating, and in the least affluent parts, people are starving. In many parts of the world, conflict is the main cause, affecting over 20 countries. But there are other factors include corruption and failure of the aid programmes.
However, imagine the joy, back in Judea, when the offering eventuallt arrives, taken there by the trustworthy men of integrity from Macedonia. There was in place in Jerusalem an aid programme, administered by faithful and trustworthy men, as we read in Acts 6:1, “But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food”. To make sure there was fairness for all, the Apostles said to the church, “… select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility” (Acts 6:3). Regarding the Judean offering, and although I have no information to support this, I’m sure to start with the poor and needy would have been given food parcels, purchased from the funds received, but there would then have been a process where the farmers would have received seed supplies for planting, giving them a crop for the following growing season.
The thanks of the Judeans would have been joyful, an understatement, I’m sure. Paul wrote, “the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God”. The cynics perhaps claim that the offering had nothing to do with God and instead was just an offering collected from a few individual churches. But God was in the giving because 2 Corinthians 9:10 reads, “For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you”. Christians then and now know that their food supply is due to God’s grace, which we call “common grace,” because God has fed the world regardless of whether or not people believe in Him. The fact that people go hungry is because of sinful practices in the supply chain, and judgement will apply one day.
We pilgrims have much to thank God for, and not just for the food on our tables. It is sometimes a good practice to sit down with a pen and paper and write down all the things that God has done for us. In my devotions, I remember the big things that God has done in my life, but there are many small things as well. In Deuteronomy 4:9 we read, “But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren”. Even today, the Jewish people widely practice the Passover meal, known as a Seder. It is one of the most observed Jewish holidays, held on the first night of Passover to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt. Families gather to read the Haggadah, eat matzah (unleavened bread), and consume symbolic foods. But the Exodus took place thousands of years ago, yet is still rememberd and celebrated.
There are many Scriptures that encourage God’s people to offer their praise, worship and thanks, and all with a spirit of joy. The first two verses of Psalm 100 are, “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy”. Or the first two verses of Psalm 95, “Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him”. Psalm 9:1-2, “I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvellous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High”. And from the New Testament, “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! … Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:4, 6).
In these war-torn days, buffeted by rises in the costs of living, being worried for the future of our families, it is easy to start sliding down the slippery slope into a world of despondency and hopelessness. It is a place where we find many of our fellow citizens, those who don’t know Jesus. Just walk along any High Street and see the looks on people’s faces, frozen and etched with the lines of misery. But we have within us the joy of the Lord, and we know what He has done for us. More than that, we don’t keep it bottled up within us, and we share that joy with others, bringing God’s light into their darkness. Whenever we can. At every opportunity. We have the words of eternal life, words that will bring joy and hope into any miserable and hopeless situation. Come on, folks. If we don’t tell people about God and all that He has done for us, who will?
Dear Heavenly Father. You are the Source of joy, and the Light that illuminates this dark world. Please help us to act as reflectors of Your light, so that others will come to know You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 