God gives first, and He always outgives His most generous givers.

人如何慷慨给予，都远不及已将万物赐给我们的上帝。

Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 1 Chronicles 29:14

万物都从祢而来，我们把从祢而得的献给祢。-历代志上29章14节

After reviewing all God had already done throughout our church’s history, leaders presented the congregation with a proposal for a new gym to help us better serve our community. The leadership team announced they’d be the first to sign pledge notes to fund the construction. I initially prayed with a heart soured by selfishness, not wanting to offer more money than we had already committed to give. Still, my husband and I agreed to pray for the ongoing project. While considering all God continued providing for us, we eventually decided on a monthly offering. The combined gifts of our church family paid for the entire building.

在回顾了上帝在我们教会所成就的一切之后，教会领袖们向会众提议兴建一座新的健身中心，以服事我们的社区。他们也表明率先签下认捐卡，为这项工程奉献。虽然我也为这项计划而祷告，但刚开始时，心中却因为自私而不太情愿，因为我不想在例行的奉献以外再付出更多，但我和丈夫仍然为工程的进展祷告。后来回想起上帝是如何不断地供应我们时，我们决定每月固定为此计划奉献。最后，教会成员齐心协力的奉献，负担了健身中心的费用。

Grateful for the many ways God’s used that gym for community events since we celebrated opening its doors for ministry, I’m reminded of another generous giver—King David. Though the Lord didn’t choose him to build His temple, David invested all his resources to the project (1 Chronicles 29:1–5). The leaders under him and the people they served gave generously too (vv. 6–9). The king acknowledged all they’d contributed had first been given to them by God—the Creator, Sustainer, and Owner of everything (vv. 10–16).

从我们启用健身中心投入社区事工以来，上帝多方使用它进行了各项社区活动，我们十分感恩，同时也使我想到慷慨奉献的大卫王。虽然上帝没有让他建造圣殿，但大卫却为这项工程倾注一切的资源（历代志上29章1-5节），就连他手下的首领与他们所服事的百姓也都乐意奉献（6-9节）。大卫王承认他们所献的一切都来自于上帝，因上帝创造和维系万有，并统管一切（10-16节）。

When we recognize God owns it all, we can commit to grateful, generous, and faithful giving for the benefit of others. And we can trust the Lord will provide—and may even use the generosity of others to help us when we’re in need.

当我们领悟到万有都是属于上帝的时候，就能为了别人的益处，而愿意心存感恩，慷慨且忠心地奉献。我们也能确信主必供应一切，祂甚至会在我们有需要时，透过别人慷慨的馈赠，让我们得着供应。

Lord, please help us remember You own it all as we commit to giving You our all, willingly and selflessly.

主啊，当我们甘心、无私地全然将一切奉献给祢，求祢帮助我们记得一切本都属于祢。

1 Chronicles 29:1-14    NIV

29 Then King David said to the whole assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God. 2 With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God—gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise,stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble—all of these in large quantities. 3 Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: 4 three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, 5 for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?” 6 Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly. 7 They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron. 8 Anyone who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the Lord in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly. 10 David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,“Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. 11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;you are exalted as head over all. 12 Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.In your hands are strength and power  to exalt and give strength to all. 13 Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. 14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.

历代志上 29:1-14 

29 大卫王对会众说：“我儿子所罗门是神特选的，还年幼娇嫩。这工程甚大，因这殿不是为人，乃是为耶和华神建造的。 2 我为我神的殿已经尽力预备金子做金器，银子做银器，铜做铜器，铁做铁器，木做木器，还有红玛瑙、可镶嵌的宝石、彩石和一切的宝石，并许多汉白玉。 3 且因我心中爱慕我神的殿，就在预备建造圣殿的材料之外，又将我自己积蓄的金银献上，建造我神的殿， 4 就是俄斐金三千他连得，精炼的银子七千他连得，以贴殿墙， 5 金子做金器，银子做银器，并借匠人的手制造一切。今日有谁乐意将自己献给耶和华呢？” 6 于是，众族长和以色列各支派的首领、千夫长、百夫长，并监管王工的官长，都乐意献上。 7 他们为神殿的使用，献上金子五千他连得零一万达利克，银子一万他连得，铜一万八千他连得，铁十万他连得。 8 凡有宝石的都交给革顺人耶歇，送入耶和华殿的府库。 9 因这些人诚心乐意献给耶和华，百姓就欢喜，大卫王也大大欢喜。10 所以，大卫在会众面前称颂耶和华说：“耶和华，我们的父以色列的神，是应当称颂直到永永远远的！ 11 耶和华啊，尊大、能力、荣耀、强盛、威严都是你的，凡天上地下的都是你的，国度也是你的，并且你为至高，为万有之首。 12 丰富、尊荣都从你而来，你也治理万物。在你手里有大能大力，使人尊大、强盛都出于你。 13 我们的神啊，现在我们称谢你，赞美你荣耀之名。 14 我算什么，我的民算什么，竟能如此乐意奉献？因为万物都从你而来，我们把从你而得的献给你。

整理：于姊妹