作為本地事工領導團隊的成員，我的部分工作是邀請其他人加入我們，成為組長來帶領小組。在發出邀請時，我會讓對方知道需要投入多少時間，也會概述組長要如何與組員聯繫，包括一起聚會以及定期打電話關心小組成員。我明白成為組長後所需要的付出，因此總是不強人所難。然而，有時他們的回應卻讓我非常感動，他們會說：「這是我的榮幸！」他們沒有用正當的理由加以拒絕，反而表示他們渴望將上帝所賜的奉獻給上帝，以此感謝上帝在他們的生命中所做的一切。

當大衛王要為上帝建造聖殿而奉獻材料時，他也有類似的回應：「我算什麼，我的民算什麼，竟能如此樂意奉獻？」（歷代志上29章14節）大衛慷慨奉獻，因他感謝上帝在各方面都恩待他和以色列民。大衛的回應顯示他的謙卑，也表明他承認上帝恩待「客旅」和「寄居的」（15節）。

我們為上帝的工作而奉獻，反映了我們對上帝的感謝，無論獻上的是時間、才幹還是財富，都是上帝賜給我們的。其實，我們所擁有的一切都是從上帝的手裡得來的（14節），讓我們帶著感恩的心，奉獻給祂吧！

As a member of the leadership team for a local ministry, part of my job was to invite others to join us as group discussion leaders. My invitations described the time commitment required and outlined the ways leaders would need to engage with their small group participants, both in meetings and during regular phone calls. I was often reluctant to impose on other people, being aware of the sacrifice they’d be making to become a leader. And yet sometimes their reply would completely overwhelm me: “I’d be honored.” Instead of citing legitimate reasons to decline, they described their gratitude to God for all He’d done in their lives as their reason for being eager to give back.

When the time came to give resources toward building a temple for God, David had a similar response: “Who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this?” (1 Chronicles 29:14). David’s generosity was driven by gratitude for God’s involvement in his life and that of the people of Israel. His response speaks of his humility and his acknowledgment of His goodness toward “foreigners and strangers” (v. 15).

Our giving to God’s work—whether in time, talent, or treasure—reflects our gratitude to the One who gave to us to begin with. All that we have comes from His hand (v. 14); in response, we can give gratefully to Him.