God's Throughline

Amy Oden September 2023

Church of the Resurrection Insights Blog

Deuteronomy 26:1-9

When we talk about stewardship or finance campaigns, I tend to get caught up in the score-keeping of how much to give. What is one tenth exactly? Do I count all the other charitable giving that I do outside of church? What about my time and energy, does that count? I get caught up in the wrong questions.

Instead, the instructions God gives in Deuteronomy 26 call me to a completely different starting point. Here God instructs the people what to say when they give. These instructions do not begin with “here’s my gift” or “look at what I’m giving” or exact amounts.

Instructions on giving begin with remembering. They begin with “My father was a wandering Aramean…” (Deuteronomy 26:5), which means starting at least seven or eight generations back. The first step in giving is to remember how you got here. Recount what others did that made your life possible. See the larger picture and be amazed at all that had to happen for you to be here and for your life to flourish. Trace the throughline of God and see the grace that has flowed all along (Deuter 26:5-10).

This is where giving begins—from this place of recognition that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. When we connect to the something bigger, we step into gratitude, the overflow of God’s throughline. What if my giving started here?

What is your bigger picture? How do you see God’s throughline in your life? Let your giving flow from here.