2 Corinthians 5:11-15
Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. 12 We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we [e]are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
This verse came up as the verse of the day when I sat down to write the offering message. It didn’t come up in the context of me searching for verses on offering. It touched me as a great message about giving. In it, Paul reminds us that we are no longer living for ourselves, but for Him who gave us everything. He also is pointing us to what is important to God - not appearances but the heart. I’ll read it again.
Offering prayer
Gracious God, we come before you, acknowledging the profound truth that your love for us compels us to live a life that reflects your character. As we understand that Christ died for all, we recognize that we too have died to our old selves, and are now living a new life in Him.
We are humbled by the knowledge that your Son, Jesus, willingly offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, bearing the weight of our guilt, and reconciling us to You. This profound act of love has transformed us, and we are now ambassadors of reconciliation, entrusted with the message of peace and forgiveness.
We pray that the fear of the Lord, the awe of your holiness, will guide our actions and shape our hearts, driving us to live in a way that pleases You. May we be instruments of your love, sharing the good news of salvation and reconciliation with those around us. We pray this in Jesus’ name.
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