Sitting across from the temple treasury, He watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury.  Many rich people were putting in large sums.  And a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little.  Summoning His disciples, He said to them, “I assure you.  This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury.  For they all gave out of surplus, but she out of her poverty, has put in everything she possessed-all she had to live on.”  Mark 12:41-44  HCSB

Back in 1992 Billy Ray Cyrus released a song, “Some Gave All”.  The song was about the brave soldiers that have died for our country.  Yesterday I talked about being in captivity.  We are free in this country today because of those who gave their lives to defend our country.

A couple weeks ago I talked about how we are all given different gifts and called into different professions.  When it comes to professions like the military, police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel then you can easily tell which ones are called into that profession.  They are perfectly willing to give their all.  Now if you are in a situation where you need any of these professionals, would you want them to say “oh sorry, I’m just not feeling it today”?  I think not.  You want them to be ready to immediately defend you or your family or your country.  We want to know that this front line of defense is there and ready to spring into action.

For God gave his one and only begotten Son, so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).  We serve a God that gave all to us. God gave his Son to be tortured and die on a cross so that we could have eternal life. We serve a God that made the beautiful world that we live in.  We serve a God that created a place for us in heaven should we choose to spend eternity there.   God gives us his all, no doubt about that.  God offers us his all.  All we have to do is choose to take it.

So what about what we give to God?  Do you feel that you are honestly giving him your all?  Are you giving out of leftovers or are you giving your best?  This poor widow gave all that she had.

While working juvenile probation, I got a very sad case of a young boy who had gotten into trouble with the law.  I needed to talk to him and his mother.  I went to his home and no one was there.  I went to the school and talked to the boy.  I asked him if he knew where his mother was.  He asked me what time it was.  He then gave me a route that she follows and told me which dumpsters she goes to.  He listed two grocery stores and a couple of restaurants.  He said that this is how she gets their food.  I later found out that this woman got food stamps and other government assistance to feed her three children.  She was buying drugs with what she got from the government and feeding her children with what she got from dumpsters around town.  Now you may hear this story and think, “wow that’s awful” and it is.  So my question today is are you giving God your all or are you giving God your leftovers or worse yet what you have dug out of the garbage?

So think about everything that you give to God, your time, your talents, your money.  Are you giving your best?  I have learned some things about God.  I have learned that if I give Him my best that He will bless it beyond my wildest imagination (Malachi 3:10).  I have learned that even if I give all I have that God will supply my every need (Philippians 4:19).  And one of the greatest things I have learned is that if I love God and live according to His purpose or His calling on my life that all things, no matter how bad they may seem, work for my good (Romans 8:28).

So stop and give this some thought.  Are you giving God your best?  Are you putting Him first?  If not, then there is not time like the present to start doing so.  You will not be disappointed, my friend.

Have a great day!