We have a valentine’s event coming up at church this weekend.  On Sunday, a friend asked me about who to give her money to so she could pay. I told her to put her money in an envelope and drop it in the offering plate with the envelope designated for the event and it would go to the right place.  Unfortunately, she didn’t have a check with her and didn’t have the exact amount and I didn’t have any cash to give her change.  So, I jokingly said, just wait until after the service and make change in the offering plate.  We laughed, but I never would have thought of saying it, except I’ve actually seen it happen!

When I was a young girl, we went to a small church that passed the plate each Sunday.  There was an older lady, with a crooked wig, who sat half way back and on the end of the pew closest to the aisle.  Every Sunday when the ushers came by to take up the offering she would put her money in the plate but would have the usher wait while she made change in the offering plate.  Even as a kid, I knew this was odd. I had never seen it before and have never seen it since.  It still makes me laugh all these years later.

I chuckled on Sunday as I told my friend the story of the change making grandma with her crooked wig. And I chuckled when I told my husband and kids the story at Sunday lunch of the lady from my childhood.  But then I got to thinking about it.  I’m not so sure that I’m very different from her.  Stay with me here for a moment…

Years ago, I made God a promise.  I told Him I would go where He wanted, do what He wanted and that He could have my life.  All of it.  I offered it to Him to do as He pleased. But I’ve got to admit, I’ve made change in the offering plate.  Have you ever done that?  You tell God, “I’m yours”, but you hold back something or put a condition on your offering.

I’ll not go into detail here, but lately God has been pressing me about something.  And I don’t like it.  If you had asked me before now if I had given God my all, I would have said, “Of course.” But as He is challenging me in this one area, I realize that Yes, I have given Him my life, but I have made change.  There are parts of me that I’ve turned over to him completely, but others that I’ve been holding onto. Very tightly.

Maybe you can relate.  Perhaps God has asked you to do something new, outside of your comfort zone.  Have you ever said to Go, “Yes, Lord, I’ll do whatever you want…but not that.”  If so, then you’re making change in the offering plate.

Where are you making change?

Have you given Him everything?

Your job?

Your kids?

Your marriage or significant other?

Your money?

Your health?

Your parents?

Your friendships?

Your time?

Are you willing to submit your life to His leadership, plan and will?  Even if it means things become uncomfortable for a while, or it’s hard or people think you’re crazy?

Have you lain down your life at His feet? Completely?

Or have you made change in the offering plate?

Philippians 2:17 – “But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God…” (www.BibleHub.com)

 

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