No Applause

Monday 18 December
READ: Matt. 6:1-4  
MORE LESSON:  Matt. 19:16-22

Giving and receiving are essential parts of the circle of life; for example, the rain gives the earth water, which it receives to produce food for man and others to eat and live. Man receives energy and strength from food to be able to give back in different ways of productivity to his immediate environment, family, community and society at large. Indeed, giving is essential and is so much built into our entire existence and daily survival that it must be done without expecting applause and accolade, especially when done in obedience to God's command and instructions, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering: Exo. 25:2.

In the world, when men give money for projects or charity, they are applauded but for us Christians, our attitude should be different. We must learn to give cheerfully with simplicity, without expecting human applause or appreciation. Remember Jesus’ words: Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven: Matt. 6:1. Even when men forget to applaud or announce your donations, be assured that your heavenly Father will reward you, which is of greater effect than the applause of men. The windows of Heaven will be open upon you such that there shall not be room enough to receive the blessing (Mal. 3:10).

My mother once told me an adage which literally translates to saying,  “if you labour at God's backyard He takes over the care at the front for you”. Nothing done for God in the secret will go without public reward. And God's public reward cannot be compared with men's loudest celebration. Even God's secret reward cannot be compared with men's public applause. I once read a commentary on the miracle of the multiplying of oil for a widow of the prophet, it says that the dead prophet was one of the prophets who hid and secretly fed seven thousand priests in the days that Elijah ran from Jezebel (I Kgs. 19:1-18). No wonder the wife was not abandoned in the day of trouble. The care of Jonathan for David was secret but the reward was public for his son, Mephiboseth (II Sam. 9:1).

Don't look up to men for reward, God can do more.    

Prayer/Action
* Pray that no earthly reward will replace your heavenly reward, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask that the windows of Heaven will be open upon you, in the name of Jesus.
* Command the devil to take his hands off your service for God, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Every register of death, accident, poison and affliction bearing my name this December, catch fire, in the name of Jesus.