When we think of ‘worship,’ our minds often turn to music and songs that we sing together on Sunday mornings. Yet, there is much more to worship than the music: two of the most important elements of worship are in our prayers and in our giving.
When we give back to God, we are expressing our trust in him and in his provision. When we pray over our offerings to God, we are asking him to bless that which we give and use it for his purposes. So how should we pray over our tithes and offerings? Below is one example.
You are the giver of all good things, and your Word makes clear that every good and perfect gift comes from you. We ask that you accept these gifts and use them to your glory. May these gifts bring shelter to the homeless, comfort to the sick, rest to the weary, and hope to the hopeless. Just as you multiplied the offering of fish and the loaves that were freely given for others, we pray that you would multiply these, our offerings to you, and accomplish with them more than we could ask or imagine.
We give freely and not from compulsion, for there is nothing we could give that matches your glory and majesty, and the great gift of your son Jesus and of the Holy Spirit which guides us daily. All we have is yours, Father, and we ask that you would use us and all we have as you will. Amen.
In every Christian tradition, there is generally a time in the service for giving an offering. However, in a digital world, this can look very different for each giver. We may give by putting money in when we “pass the plate,” we may drop offerings in a collection box, or we may give online as most worshippers currently do. How we give and how much we give is between ourselves and God.
For one thing, we come before God with the perspective that everything that we have belongs to him to begin with. Throughout the centuries, Christians have given generously and sacrificially for the cause of the gospel. Christian giving has funded schools, charities, and hospitals. Christians have given time and treasure to rebuild cities after floods and fires. Christians have given faithfully to their local churches, to missionaries, to neighbors in need, and Christians have given consistently in ways that others will never know. Following the lead of our Savior, who gave all on our behalf, Christians are and always have been a giving people.
