Thank offering

“ In gratitude and thankfulness we come, with empty hands and open hearts and minds, asking but what You give. We cannot make an offering sufficient for Your Son. But in Your Love the gift of Christ is his. ”

“ I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts. ”

“ We are ignorant of what it is good to ask for. You know what is good for us. Give it to us.” These two specimens of prayers are chosen because they show how closely prayer is connected with sacrifice, how the offering is brought and the favour asked with it, just as would be done to a living chief. ”

“ Every mind reflects, and every heart is melted.
Then comes the offertory; and all present, according to their various means, make their offerings for those "who serve the altar," and for the poor. While the priest raises in offering the paten with the Post and the chalice with wine, the villagers also, kneeling, make an offering of their homage to their new-born Redeemer; and mothers lift their little ones to heaven in spirit, praying that they may advance "in wisdom and age and grace with God and men," as did the Child of Mary. ”

“ I conjure thee, O my God, by the perfect oblation of my divine Saviour on the altar of the cross, to pardon my past ingratitude, and to grant me the inestimable grace of preservation from all mortal sin. But, O my sovereign Benefactor, how shall I thank thee for the precious gift of thy body and blood, which thus enables me to satisfy my obligation V This gift, which the homage of angels and men would be insufficient to acknowledge, can only be repaid by itself. ”

“ though he offered himself once for all, yet that one offering thus becomes a continual offering. ”

“ In every case the offering was required to be perfect in its kind, and without blemish.
The sin-offering was more especially for atonement; but the voluntary and other offerings are spoken of as contributing thereto (Lev. i. 3) : coming from the voluntary will of the people, they expressed the heart’s devotion, and bore a “sweet savour to God.” ”

“ The offering is the substitute of the offerer. The priest is the substitute of the offerer. The priest and the sacrifice were one symbol. [Hence, in the new dispensation, the priest and the sacrifice are one—both are found in Christ.] ”

“ His "need" is, not to be always offering, but to be always an Offerer. He meets that need by being for ever the Priest who had Himself to offer, and who offered Himself, and who now dispenses from His sacerdotal seat the benedictions based upon the sacrifice of which He is for ever the once accepted Offerer. ”

“ It is most holy.
7 "'As is the sin offering, so is the trespass offering; there is one law for them. The priest who makes atonement with them shall have it. 8 The priest who offers any man's burnt offering, even the priest shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering which he has offered. 9 Every meal offering that is baked in the oven, and all that is dressed in the pan, and on the griddle, shall be the priest's who offers it. 10 Every meal offering, mixed with oil or dry, belongs to all the sons of Aaron, one as well as another. ”

“ We should not omit offering frequent prayers of thanksgiving for the numerous and weighty blessings which God continually bestows upon us and on the whole human race, and thanking Him particularly for the crowns of victory and glory with which He has adorned the Blessed Virgin and the saints. Thanksgiving and petition are, indeed, the two principal parts of prayer, the former being quite as necessary as the latter. In fact, if we are not grateful for God’s benefits, how may we expect that He will heed our petitions? ”

“ It has been said—it is true—that a better and more honourable offering is made to our Master in ministry to the poor, in extending the knowledge of His name, in the practice of the virtues by which that name is hallowed, than in material gifts to His temple. ”

“ To frame such thanks as may befit
Thy grace, and yet—thou knowest it—
We thank thee, Lord.
As children, sometimes sudden
Run, grateful to a father's knee—
We dimly feel our debt to thee,
And thank thee, Lord. ”

“ Let the remembrance of his love, who made himself an offering for our sins, be ever dear and precious to us. Let it continually move us to offer up ourselves to thee, to do thy will, as our blessed Master did. May we place an entire confidence in thee, and still trust ourselves with thee, who hast not spared thine own Son, but freely given him up for us all. May we humbly accept of whatsoever thou sendest us, and in every thing give thanks. Surely thou wilt never leave us nor forsake us. ”

“ Prayer is the offering up of the sincere desires and feelings of our hearts to God. It consists of adoration, confession, supplication, intercession, and thanksgiving. Adoration is an expression of our sense of the infinite majesty and glory of God. Confession is an humble acknowledgment of our sins and unworthiness. By supplication, we ask for pardon, grace, or any blessing we need for ourselves. By intercession, we pray for others. By thanksgiving, we express our gratitude to God for his goodness and mercy towards us and our fellow-creatures. ”

“ I hope, sir, you go on your way rejoicing; that you are enabled to thank Him who is the giver of every good gift, spiritual, temporal, and providential, for blessings to yourself and your ministry. I do not doubt but you often meet with circumstances which are not pleasing to nature; yet, by the blessing of God, they will be all profitable in the end. They are kindly designed by grace to make and keep us humble. ”

“ Our burnt-offerings of praise cannot be accepted of God unless we have an interest in the great sacrifice of propitiation which Christ offered when for us he made himself a sin-offering. 7. Even when all these sacrifices were offered, yet the continual burnt-offering must not be omitted either morning or evening, but each day this must be offered first in the morning and last in the evening. No extraordinary services should jostle out our stated devotions. ”

“ The Apostle has been dwelling on the Christian obligation of giving bountifully and cheerfully, and on the great law that a glad giver is 'enriched' and not impoverished thereby, whilst the recipients, for their part, are blessed by having thankfulness evoked towards the givers. And that contemplation of the happy interchange of benefit and thanks between men leads the fervid Apostle to the thoughts which were always ready to spring to his lips—of God as the great pattern of giving and of the gratitude to Him which should fill all our souls. ”

“ Chapter 35
1 He that keepeth the law bringeth offerings enough: he that taketh heed to the commandment offereth a peace offering.
2 He that requiteth a good turn offereth fine flour; and he that giveth alms sacrificeth praise.
3 To depart from wickedness is a thing pleasing to the Lord; and to forsake unrighteousness is a propitiation.
4 Thou shalt not appear empty before the Lord.
5 For all these things [are to be done] because of the commandment.
6 The offering of the righteous maketh the altar fat, and the sweet savour thereof is before the most High. ”

“ There is no one, O my Lord, who can deal bountifully with me to whom I can turn my face, and none who can have compassion on me that I may crave his mercy. Cast me not out, I implore Thee, of the presence of Thy grace, neither do Thou withhold from me the outpourings of Thy generosity and bounty. Ordain for me, O my Lord, what Thou hast ordained for them that love Thee, and write down for me what Thou hast written down for Thy chosen ones. My gaze hath, at all times, been fixed on the horizon of Thy gracious providence, and mine eyes bent upon the court of Thy tender mercies. ”

“ The Heart of Jesus has done all these good offices for me, and the time has come to make payment. I owe gratitude, I owe thanksgiving, I owe sorrow, I owe reparation — I owe an act of love and thanksgiving for each of those times that the Sacred Heart made those acts for me. ”

“ Thanks be to you who heard, for you become the messenger who brings His Voice with you, and lets It echo round and round the world. Receive the thanks of God today, as you give thanks to Him. For He would offer you the thanks you give, since He receives your gifts in loving gratitude, and gives them back a thousand and a hundred thousand more than they were given. He will bless your gifts by sharing them with you. And so they grow in power and in strength, until they fill the world with gladness and with gratitude. ”

“ If it were given to me, through your prayers, once to see you, to profit by your gifts and to add to the history of my life a meeting with such a great and apostolic soul, surely I should consider that the loving mercy of God has given me a compensation for all the ills with which my life has been afflicted. ”

“ Not thanks, not prayer seem quite the highest or truest name for our communication with the infinite,—but glad and conspiring reception,—reception that becomes giving in its turn, as the receiver is only the All-Giver in part and in infancy. ”

“ WE present ourselves before thee, O Lord our God, to pay our tribute of prayer and thanksgiving; desiring thee mercifully to accept us and our services, at the hands of Jesus Christ. In his great name we come to beg thy pardon and peace, the increase of thy grace, and the tokens of thy love. For we are not worthy of the least of thy mercies. But worthy is the Lamb that was slain to take away the sin of the world; for whose sake thou wilt give us all things. ”

“ That, if it be real giving—not mere throwing away to avoid the trouble or the embarrassment of saying No—based on intelligent appreciation of the need, enlarges and emphasizes and doubly underscores the prayer which, then, with the alms ascending, will surely find their way to God together. ”

“ But here an interesting question presents itself—the question in regard to the utility of a prayer of this kind. The Lord, we know, is ever ready to confer blessings on all, and does continually pour forth his truth and love, as the sun unceasingly sends out its light and heat; and if his blessings are not enjoyed, it is never because he does not give, but because men will not receive. ”

“ There is with some an idea that to ask and expect an answer is not the highest form of prayer. Fellowship with God, apart from any request, is more than supplication. About the petition there is something of selfishness and bargaining—to worship is more than to beg. With others the thought that prayer is so often unanswered is so prominent, that they think more of the spiritual benefit derived from the exercise of prayer than [p2] the actual gifts to be obtained by it. ”

“ But if they who come to Christ to give thanks please him much, they who come to him asking gifts please him more; for in his own experience, and according to his own testimony, it is more blessed to give than to receive. ”

“ Note, our trusting in God must not supersede the use of any proper and appointed means; and prayer is one of those means. We should pray for ourselves and for one another. The apostle had himself a great interest in the throne of grace, yet he desires the help of others' prayers. If we thus help one another by our prayers, we may hope for an occasion of giving thanks by many for answer of prayer. And it is our duty not only to help one another with prayer, but in praise and thanksgiving, and thereby to make suitable returns for benefits received.
verses 12-14 Paul's Sincerity and Affliction. ”

“ Whether we obtain what we ask, or do not obtain, let us persevere always in prayer. And let us give thanks, not only when we obtain, but even when we suffer a repulse. For when God denies us anything, it is no less a favour than if He granted it. ”

“ Do with them as to the world, as thou thinks fit—only, convey grace down to their posterity; let them be pleaders for thee, as I have pleaded for them at the throne of grace: this is all my desire, and would be my comfort to see. O Lord, come this day and smile upon my poor gift, and accept of them. I solemnly stand to all my former engagements, and make a solemn resignation of myself unto thee, and desire to close with thee on thine own terms. ”

“ Let us not waver in our faith in God's overruling providence, and in the reality of His interposition in answer to prayer for the deliverance and help of his people under any and all circumstances. "In everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let our requests be made known unto God," but let our first request be that we be kept in a sound mind obedient to the word, and let all of our requests close with the utterance, from a sincere heart, of the words, "Thy will be done." ”

“ We need not go far to seek the materials for an acceptable offering; they lie all around us in the work of our callings, in the little calls which divine Providence daily makes to us, in the little crosses which God requires us to take up, nay, in our very recreations. ”

“ If we need a gift and a blessing, he knows when to bestow it upon us. This ought to comfort us; it ought to cause us to rejoice and be glad, and our hearts to be filled with thanksgiving continually before the Lord our God for his abundant mercy and kindness unto us his children. ”

“ You can make a man say words, but it is not prayer. You may make him hand out money unwillingly, but that is not giving as I view it. I like to define giving as follows: Giving is a cheerful, willing, liberal, intelligent, quiet, regular and prayerful exercise of a God-given grace. This grace of giving, like all God’s gifts, comes with the asking and stays [79] with the using. It is no more possible for a man to have the grace of giving without asking for it and making proper use of it, than it is to have the Spirit for service without asking for and making use of that gift. ”