Latest / Eurasia Region Podcast / S1-E64 | Everyday Eurasia | Shahade Twal
Transcript
- 0:00Hello and welcome to the Everyday Eurasia podcast,
- 0:04Inspiring Faith for Every Day. Each day we are on a journey
- 0:08with Jesus in our churches, our homes, our workplaces, and in so
- 0:13many different places around the world.
- 0:16Is it beautiful that no matter where we are, we can walk with
- 0:20him every single day? Jesus is the one who connects us
- 0:24all and stands at the very center of our lives day after
- 0:28day. Through this podcast, you'll
- 0:30hear voices from across the region sharing devotionals that
- 0:34reminds us of God's presence in our everyday moments.
- 0:43Shahada, 12, is an ordained elder in the Church of the
- 0:46Nazarene and serves at the Eurasia Region coordinating
- 0:49Nazarene missions teams, Alabaster and partnership
- 0:52relations. Shahada and his family has
- 0:55served in the Middle East and General to the heart for cross
- 0:59cultural ministry, church planting, discipleship, and
- 1:02helping local churches develop sustainable spaces for worship
- 1:06and ministry. In this miniseries, he shares
- 1:09short. Devotional messages that connect
- 1:11biblical. Stories with the purpose and
- 1:13impact of Alabaster. Hi friends, today's short
- 1:18devotional is for anyone who has ever thought my gift is too
- 1:22small to matter. In Mark chapter 12, Jesus is in
- 1:28the temple courts. He sits the near the place where
- 1:31people are bringing their offerings, and he watches many
- 1:37people give large amounts. And then a widow comes.
- 1:43She is poor and she drops in two very small coins, almost nothing
- 1:49in the eyes of the crowds. But Jesus calls his disciples
- 1:54over and he says something shocking.
- 1:58He basically says she has given more than all the other people
- 2:03did. How can that be?
- 2:07Well, it's because Jesus doesn't measure giving the way we do.
- 2:14People measure giving by the number.
- 2:17Jesus measures giving by the trust we have.
- 2:23The widow in her poverty gives what she has and her offering
- 2:28becomes a living sermon that Jesus is using to teach us
- 2:33something today. The sermon says God, I trust
- 2:39you. It says God, You are my
- 2:42provider. It says God, I am not ruled by
- 2:48fear and that is exactly what Alabaster is meant to awaken in
- 2:54US. Alabaster is one of the most
- 2:57beautiful moments in the church because it includes everyone,
- 3:02children, teenagers, new believers, seniors, families,
- 3:08single adults, the poor and the rich.
- 3:11Because the power is not in the size of 1's gift.
- 3:16The power is in the faith of many people and this matters.
- 3:24God can do much with what feels small in your hands.
- 3:30What you see as 2 coins God can use to open doors.
- 3:36What you see as not enough, God can weave into something
- 3:41lasting. Alabaster offering becomes
- 3:45ministry spaces, and ministry spaces become moments where
- 3:51someone hears the gospel the for the first time, where a child
- 3:56finds safety, where a teenager finds direction, where a family
- 4:02finds community, where a seeker finds Christ.
- 4:08So if you feel your part is too small, I want to say this
- 4:13clearly. Your gift is not measured by
- 4:17comparison, it is measured by surrender.
- 4:21It is measured by trust. And Christ sees it.
- 4:28He saw the widow and he sees you.
- 4:33And here is your invitation today.
- 4:37Don't underestimate what God honours.
- 4:41Don't underestimate what God multiplies, and don't
- 4:46underestimate what God can do through simple obedience.
- 4:53Give what you can with joy, and let your giving become worship.
- 4:59Like the widows, Let's pray. Lord Jesus, thank you that you
- 5:07see what others miss. Thank You that you honor faith,
- 5:12not performance. For every person who feels small
- 5:18or tired or limited, I pray that you would give courage today.
- 5:23Father, teach us to trust You. And as we give through
- 5:28alabaster, multiply these offerings to create places where
- 5:34lives are changed. In your holy name we pray.
- 5:38Amen. Thank you for listening to the
- 5:41Everyday Eurasia podcast, Inspiring Fate for Everyday.
- 5:45For more. Everyday Stories subscribe on
- 5:48this podcast channel, follow our socials, Facebook and Instagram,
- 5:51or our newsletter Snapshots. For our newsletter and further
- 5:55information about the Eurasia region, visit our website,
- 5:59eurasiaregion.org.