Should I Give in December?
Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
Psalm 115:1 has become a constant prayer of mine in 2021.
Back in July, just before my family and I left for sabbatical, I shared a meditation with you on this verse, pondering the connection between the first and second parts of the petition.
How is God not giving glory to us, but to himself, for the sake of his steadfast love (the Hebrew word, hesed, which also gets translated “faithful/loyal love” or “unfailing mercy”)?
In other words, how is God getting glory, not us, an expression of, or in reference to, his mercy?
And the answer I proposed is that God’s mercy to us is his getting the glory he deserves and our not robbing him of any of it.
God getting the glory, not us, is his mercy to us.
As we approach the end of December, reflecting on what God has done in our church this year and looking forward to what’s to come, I just embrace Psalm 115:1 all the more.
That’s the “secret” to the whole thing, really, if you can call it that — to our church and ministry and all the pieces in-between — it’s that it must all be for the glory of God, and when it is, when he is glorified, not us, when Jesus increases and we decrease, that is his mercy to us. That is the win. The goal. The point.
That is what I pray shines brightest in everything we’ve seen God do this year, from navigating the importance of our Sunday gatherings through the pandemic restrictions to launching the Rooted initiative as we dream of our future; from hearing God’s word in 1 Peter and finishing the Book of Exodus to 14 baptisms and 31 child dedications (and counting); from the restart of in-person Foyers and a growing membership to prayers answered, griefs carried, and miraculous provisions untold.
God has glorified his name at Cities Church this year — that is, he has been so merciful to us.
Emerging Culture of Generosity
We can especially recognize his mercy to us in an emerging culture of generosity. Since launching Rooted in April, the generosity of our church has deepened and new generosity has sprouted. As God has promised, he is able to make all grace abound to us, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, we may abound in every good work; he has enriched us in every way for us to be generous in every way (2 Corinthians 9:8, 11)!
In God’s kindness, thanks to your generosity and a responsible budget, we’ve never entered December in a high-pressured situation. We don’t do a big shake-down and we don’t rely upon a “Hail Mary” touchdown. In fact, if things continue as they have for the previous 11 months, we’re sitting in a good spot right now for 2021. And it’s because of that, joyfully and boldly, I ask you to consider an additional gift in December.
Would You Consider Giving?
I’m asking you to give because Jesus really meant it when he said it’s more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). May we share in that blessing! Any gifts that exceed our ’21 budget will get rolled into Rooted and bring us one step closer to accomplishing our goal of $5,000,000 by April 2023. I pray daily for this initiative, and I believe God will provide for us, with this December part of the way!
If the Spirit would lead you to give, you may give directly online or through check (place in the offering box on Sunday or mail it to the building).
Thank God for his mercy to glorify his name at our church, and for the hope that he’s not finished yet.
With joy,
Pastor Jonathan
