Inside: If your assignment feels impossible and success seems unlikely, do what you know to do and trust God with the outcome. ~
The message came in that quiet way that makes me sit up and pay attention.
Put your offering on the altar.
I’d been pondering the impossibility of a project, mentally bemoaning the difficulty of the outcome I hoped for. But the message was clear. I’m supposed to do my part, and when I release it to wherever it goes, the result is out of my hands.
It’s not just out of my hands, of course. It’s in the hands of Elohim, our Creator God, who hung the stars in their places and is always doing a new thing (Isaiah 43:19).
When we place something on the altar, we’re giving it up to Him, to be consumed how He deems best.
Our Role
We are responsible for offering our first fruits—the best of what we have, of what we can do. But, contrary to what we often think, we are not responsible for providing the fire.
We can rub all sorts of sticks together, metaphorically speaking, hoping for a spark that will burst into a roaring flame. But that’s not our job.
We bring the sacrifice; God provides the flame.
Obstacles
It can be difficult to know what constitutes our best. And where the altar is. And when to lay it down, finally.
Resistance rears its ugly head in many forms. Doubt and fear trip us up. Comparison and the possibility of rejection make us think we’re better off not even trying.
But whatever our offering is—a book we’re writing, a ministry opportunity, a new blog or newsletter, a service we hope to offer, some kind of curriculum, etc.—at some point, we need to take the next step.
To place it on the altar and see what God has planned.
What Now?
I don’t know what offering you might need to put on the altar as 2023 draws to a close. My guess is that it’s something different for each of us, and that we each have our own set of apprehensions about what might happen when we finally put it out there.
God has not given us a spirit of fear, though. So whatever it looks like, let’s lay our offerings down together, trusting that He who has begun a good work in us will not fail to complete it.
♥ Lois
We can rub all sorts of sticks together, hoping for a spark that will burst into a roaring flame. But that’s not our job. We bring the sacrifice; God provides the flame. Click To Tweet When we place something on the altar, we’re giving it up to God, to be consumed how He deems best. Click To TweetP.S. I’m linking up this week with Inspire Me Monday, #tellhisstory, InstaEncouragements, Let’s Have Coffee and Grace & Truth.
28 comments
Lois, this>>”We are responsible for offering our first fruits—the best of what we have, of what we can do. But, contrary to what we often think, we are not responsible for providing the fire.” Jumped out at me and made me stop to reflect. Well, I reflected on all of your words as it hit me that I indeed needed to hear this today.
Thanks so very much for sharing this with Sweet Tea & Friends this month dear friend.
I’m so glad you found this post helpful, Paula. I need the same reminders very often! So thankful for you and your sweet linkup. 🙂
I’m such a destination person, and I need to be more in tune with the journey.
It’s hard, isn’t it? I guess that’s why it’s called a walk of faith, huh? One step at a time. No fast-forwarding or sneak-peaking at the ending.
It’s always been comforting to me that we’re less responsible for the outcome than we are for the process. There’s so little we can control about how things will turn out. I hope you and your family are doing well, Lois!
That is a comforting thought, Lisa. We’ve had some adventures lately–some planned and some unexpected. Taking it one step at a time, which I suppose is all we can ever do, right? I hope you are doing well too, my friend.
I needed to hear this today, Lois, “We are responsible for offering our first fruits— we are not responsible for providing the fire.”
I need to hear it too, Lisa. I hope December is off to a good start for you!
“It’s not just out of our hands, of course.” Amen. Lois that phrase will stick with me. Thank you for this and encouragement it is to be faithful and trust God with what He does with it. I can think of lots I need to lay on the altar and stop rubbing sticks nearby over. Praying for you, friend, as you do the same!
Thanks, Bethany! It’s a daily struggle at times, but it’s comforting to know we are in this together. 🙂
I’ve just finished reading a biography of Elisabeth Elliot which I hope to review next week. I knew much of her history, having read her books for the past four decades. But I don’t think I realized the full extent to which her early ministry looked like failure. She went to evangelize and build up those in the faith, but her main missionary focus was reducing a language to writing for the purpose of translating the Bible, or at least parts of it, into the native tongue of someone who didn’t have it. Yet not much of that came to anything. Her notes and work on that project were lost. She wrestled over whether all those years and that work had been a waste. Yet God used her life there in so many other ways. We just never know what God is up to. But as long as we do what we do for Him, we can trust Him to use it as He will.
Aw, Barbara … thank you for sharing from Elisabeth Elliot’s early experiences here. I needed to read this today. It’s comforting to remember that God will use our offerings how He sees fit. So we pray for wisdom to know what our part should look like.
Thank you, Lois for this timely reminder, “It can be difficult to know what constitutes our best. And where the altar is. And when to lay it down, finally.”
Too often we can get caught up in the minutiae of our service to God, making it about us.
Deuteronomy 12:13 has spoken to me on this topic many times, “Take heed to yourself that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see; but in the place which the Lord chooses”. It’s always about Him and His will and way.
Donna, I’m sure I’ve read Deuteronomy 12:13 many times but probably just skimmed on through without noticing it much. Thanks so much for sharing it here … it’s such strong encouragement to seek God’s direction when we are laying down our offerings.
One of my favorite verses is 1 Cor. 4.2 which says in part, “it is required of stewards that one be found faithful.” I love that … faithful not successful. We play our part but the final results are up to God.
Wow, Donna, that’s a powerful phrase to ponder–“faithful not successful.” I want to value faithfulness over success, and I know you do too. 🙂
We bring the sacrifice. God provides the flame. Those are words to truly ponder. Our best efforts are not a guarantee of results. He alone knows what He has planned and purposed. Funny thing about a fire … we never know when the spark will ignite the larger flame 🙂 May we stay faithful to Him, trusting Him to complete what He has begun. Lois, your words always speak to my heart. May He bless you and your writing!
Aw, Joanne … thanks so much for your thoughtful perspective and encouragement. That’s such a good point about being faithful because “we never know when the spark will ignite the larger flame.” 🙂
“…trusting that He who has begun a good work in us will not fail to complete it.” Yes, may we have the grace to release it out of our hands into His! Thank you, Lois. I hope you had a wonderful time in Spain with your family! Love and blessings to you!
“Grace to release it out of our hands into His!” Amen to that, Trudy. 🙂 Our time in Spain was good … I will try to update you further via email soon. 🙂 Love and hugs to you, dear friend.
“We are responsible for offering our first fruits—the best of what we have, of what we can do. But, contrary to what we often think, we are not responsible for providing the fire.“
This speaks to my current place on my journey of sanctification. Thank you for the reminder. Mine is the sacrifice. His is the fire.
I find myself in a similar spot, Lisa. Yet again, I’m grateful that we are on this journey together. 🙂
This is SO good, Lois. Thank you for the reminder that HE provides the flame. Ours is to take that next step of obedience and leave the results to Him.
Taking that next step seems to be the hardest part for me, Ruth. So good to hear from you this week!
Your words today make me realize how outcome focused I can be, Lois. This is a bit of a wake-up call. A caution, too. Thank you, friend.
It’s tricky, isn’t it, to find a good balance between focusing on outcomes and trusting God with them? I’m guessing we each get tripped up in different ways with this, Linda. I’m thankful for the Holy Spirit’s quiet direction when change is needed.
Beautifully scripted, Lois. A great reminder as we prepare to enter into a new year, growing closer to God, following the commands given by his son, Jesus Christ, and laying it all on the altar, knowing that we are helpless without Him.
May God continue to bless you richly for the time that you meditate, write, and expand the Good News that God has put on your heart.
Thank you so much, Mary. I hope you and Bill have a blessed Christmas season with loved ones close by.