Joyful Giving

God owns "the cattle upon a thousand hills" and supplies all our needs "according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  Why then does He tell us to bring Him tithes and offerings? Since He obviously has no lack, it cannot be for His benefit. Giving is an exercise that is good for us. Jesus Himself spoke of the blessedness, or happiness, of giving (Acts 20:35).  When a Christian gives cheerfully, it is because he has learned the relative value of temporal and eternal things. Indeed, "God loveth a cheerful giver" (II Cor. 9:7).  Joyful Giving is not about fund-raising.  It is about developing the Christian grace of giving. When giving of our material possessions becomes another way of  serving the Saviour, it is indeed a "joyful" experience.