Monday November 12th The poor widow

Today I can totally relate to the poor widow at the end of our reading (Mark 12:41-44).  I've read this little story so many times but today was the first time I was challenged to experience it. 

The widow gave the last of what she possessed, 2 copper coins that had almost no value at all (a fraction of a penny).  I wonder, how difficult was it for her to give them up?  If I were her a few thoughts would have run through my mind before I headed to the temple that day:

1. This is all I have.  Once it is gone I have nothing more left.  How will I be able to live? 
2. I would look at those two little coins and question what use are they to anyone.  How can they really help?  Nobody will even care if I do or don't put them in.

I am sure that this poor widow wrestled with her heart over giving those last 2 coins.  Giving all we have is never an easy or thoughtless task. But, in the end she had something that was of greater value then some pieces of perishable copper.  She had an undeniable faith in the God whom she knew would provide for her needs.  The only way someone can give all that they have is if they truly believe that God can and that God will supply their needs.  What faith, what trust this little lady had.  She was not seeking the favor of the crowd.  She was not seeking the praise of the religious figures.  She was not seeking a place of high honor in the temple court.  No, the only thing she was seeking was the favor and grace of her God to provide for her life according to his will and desire.  That is exactly what she got.  Christ said that she had put more into that treasury then any other that day.  She put in faith and hope that day.  The others put in self-confidences, self-righteousness, pride, and arrogance.  These things leave us empty.  The others in the temple put in from their riches and walked away empty.  The widow put in from her poverty but she walked away full. 

So how do I do at giving God my all?  At giving God my everything?  Do I trust him with my finances?  Do I trust him with my relationships?  Do I trust him with my plans? Do I trust him with my daily tasks?  Do I trust him with my health?  Do I trust him with hurts?  Do I trust him with my heart? DO I TRUST HIM WITH MY EVERYTHING???

God let me have a little "trust" or "faith" lesson today in regards to giving my all.  For some reason from the moment my alarm went off today I awoke completely and utterly exhausted.  All I wanted to do this whole day was to go to back to bed.  I am not just talking tired I truly mean exhaustion.  I had no energy and therefore no desire to do anything.  I knew though that Monday's are my day to write the blog.  I read the reading and my mind was so tired I could think of nothing.  The story of the poor widow stayed in my mind but I couldn't see any lesson in it for me to take away.  I was at the end of my rope, only 2 coins worth of energy left in my day.  My family needed to eat dinner, I had some work that needed to be finished and I had a blog to write.  I wanted to keep the last bit of energy I had left all to myself.  That is when I thought of the widow and her coins.  I started to wrestle with my heart and I asked the same questions she might have asked:

1. This is all I have left for today.  Once it's gone I'm done for today.  How will I be able to do everything else I need to do?
2. What use are a few tired words on a page to anyone anyways?  How can they really help?  Nobody would miss them if I kept these little moments all to myself.

That is when I realized that I needed to have actions like that little poor widow.  I needed to have faith that God would see me through my weakness.  That he would supply that which I could not.  That he could use that which seemed insignificant and small for his glory and honor however he saw fit.  I determined to give to God the last of my energy and to let him use it however he saw fit by writing in this blog that which he taught me today.

I do need to tell you that, even though I am still tired, I feel something even great then mental rest right now.  I feel renewed in my heart.  I feel strengthened to do whatever needs to be done before this night comes to a close.  God has already begun to provide the strength that I was depleted of.  Like the widow I came to him empty and gave what little I had.  He looked upon me with favor and grace and let me walk away filled with faith and hope to make it through the rest of my night.

It is a baby step of faith in my learning to give to God when it is not easy to give but it is a baby step that I will not soon forget.

What areas in your life do you feel depleted?  What areas are you holding on to that God is saying, "Give it all to me"?  Sometimes it is easier to give then at other times, but I assure you that when we trust God, when we put our complete faith in him, he will bless us in ways that we never even dared dream for ourselves. 

Don't be afraid.  You have no idea what God can do with your two little coins of faith!!!