The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 22 August 2022 – Care For One Another
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TOPIC: Care For One Another
TEXT: 2 Corinthians 8:10-24 (NKJV)
- And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago;
- but now you also must complete the doing [of it;] that as [there was] a readiness to desire [it,] so [there] also [may be] a completion out of what [you] have.
- For if there is first a willing mind, [it is] accepted according to what one has, [and] not according to what he does not have.
- For [I do] not [mean] that others should be eased and you burdened;
- but by an equality, [that] now at this time your abundance [may supply] their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack — that there may be equality.
- As it is written, “He who [gathered] much had nothing left over, and he who [gathered] little had no lack.”
- But thanks [be] to God who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.
- For he not only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he went to you of his own accord.
- And we have sent with him the brother whose praise [is] in the gospel throughout all the churches,
- and not only [that,] but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself and [to show] your ready mind,
- avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us —
- providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
- And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great confidence which [we have] in you.
- If [anyone inquires] about Titus, [he is] my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren [are inquired about, they are] messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
- Therefore show to them, and before the churches the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.
THE MESSAGE:
The Achaians had determined a year before the writing of this letter to make a contribution for the famine victims of Judea. It is possible that some people had discouraged them from carrying through on their promise. Therefore, Paul encouraged them to carry out their intentions to make the contribution and thus remain in fellowship with the global Church. He also urged them to contribute from a ready and willing mind according to the ability which the Lord had given them; that abundance should not prevail on one hand, while poverty ruled on the other; but that there should be equality (verses 11-14). Paul mentioned equality to let the people understand that, it is not in God’s plan for any member of the household of faith to live in poverty. So, those who receive the aid should not think they are relieved of their responsibility.
They should also give according to their capacity. As Christians, it is important we know that apart from advancing Christ’s kingdom among the unbelievers, care for fellow Christians should also be our priority. The welfare and satisfaction of our co-labourer should also form part of our ministry, in our case specifically, those affected by the Boko Haram insurgency, the internally displaced brethren, those whose businesses are suffering setbacks due to the emergence of the corona virus pandemic, the unemployed, those suffering from one ailment or the other and others whose conditions we know are to be cared for under our ministry.
PRAYER: Lord, create in me the heart that cares.
