|
Of all that we do in church today, presenting our gifts to
God is as much an act of worship as anything else we do.
What is the significance of an offering? Why has the act
of giving always been deemed an appropriate and necessary
human response to God? All religions have practiced the
offering. The sacrifice of human life as an expression of
religious devotion may have passed away, but offerings of
every imaginable kind are still presented on a daily basis
around the world. Within the Jewish and Christian traditions,
the offering has always held a central role. Throughout
the Bible, we find people giving offerings to God and God
welcoming the offering.
The gifts we bring to God are important because of the
needs they meet and because of their positive impact on
the giver. The most important aspect of giving, however,
lies in its symbolism. Only limited satisfaction is derived
when we give in order to pay the church’s bills. To experience
the genuine joy of giving, we must know the powerful
symbolic significance of the gift.
|
