THANK YOU

“And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.” (2Ch 31:10 AV)

 

Hezekiah, king of Judah, brought revival to his kingdom.  They repaired the house of God, provided for the priests once again, and re-established the feasts according to Mosaic law.  In the process of repairing the temple, an offering was taken.  This offering was also to provide the means for the Levites to serve the LORD and provide for their families.  The Bible tells us the offering was so great the provision lay in heaps on the temple grounds.  Azariah testifies to the king that since the people began to bring tithes into the house of God, not only did the servants of God and their families have plenty to eat, there were literally heaps of leftover gifts piled on the ground.  Those who served God were taken with humility and gratitude by the gracious gifts of God’s people.  They gave praise to God for all that He had done for both them and the nation.  They rightly gave God the credit for the prosperity of God’s people that, in turn, fell upon them.  We have a lot for which to be thankful.  Among them is the prosperity of God’s people that is shared with those who have given their lives to serve God.

It does not escape this preacher that the food in his pantry and the meal on his table are provided by the generous gifts of God’s people.  It humbles our family that the people of God would love us so much there isn’t a day that goes by that we worry about our next meal, our lights staying on, and our medical needs being met.  We know if there was any genuine need, the people of God would sacrifice that the preacher and his family do not suffer want.  I have been serving the LORD full-time for almost twenty years and part-time for much longer than that.  I can honestly say, even though there were some lean years, none of my family ever suffered from malnutrition.  We have had to work several jobs while also serving the LORD in a local church, but God’s people gave us that our needs were met.  We labored among God’s people with no formal salary, then a small allowance until God provided a real full-time wage.  Yet in all that time, we paid our car insurance, and cell phone bill, and put food on the table because God’s people snuck under our door gifts and left food at the front door that we might eat.  In all my years of ministry to God’s people, I have never known a time when we worried about our next meal.  God prospered His people and His people cared for the preacher.

It is with this in mind that I can share with all the generous sheep that I pray for you at each meal we enjoy.  I thank God for you and your generosity in recognition of your love toward us.  I pray for each of you, individually and ask God’s blessings upon you as reciprocation for your love for us.  It amazes me that people would love such a one as me, and give of their hard-earned wages for our needs.  Your needs are at the top of my list.  Your gifts are one of the primary reasons for God’s grace in your own lives.  As you sacrifice, God takes note.  Your needs become His priority.  Your cures, your provisions, your blessings, and your success are a direct result of your generosity towards the man of God.  So, on this special day of thanksgiving, I wish to acknowledge the heart of God’s people towards those who serve them by keeping their lights on, keeping them protected from the elements, providing health care, and seeing to it that is a roast in the pot.  THANK YOU!