To Know God is to Thank God: To the Most High

I am God Most High!
The only sacrifice I want is for you to be thankful and to keep your word. (CEV)

Our focus this week as we conclude our Stewardship journey is the final phrase of Psalm 50:14: “To the Most High!”  What a great reminder that God is the one to whom we offer all that we have and all that we are, make our sacrifice of praise, and make good our vows. 

This has been a crazy season.  There has been so much tension and conflict in the world around us…with the elections, the economy, wars and conflict, natural disasters.  For Emmanuel I feel we have also been living on the edge…uncertain of our long-term financial viability, how the actions of the General Assembly will affect us, and our longevity as we continue to age as a congregation.   It is easy to get bogged down in the “what-ifs,” to let fear get the best of us, to look around and wonder how we will continue to exist.  Friends, it is when we lose our focus on the Most High, when we stop offering God our best, when we no longer respond with thanksgiving, when we break our promises…things go sideways. 

As we look to the future with hope and expectation we must continue to keep our eyes on God.  As I look ahead to next year and beyond, I have a sense of awe and wonder in great anticipation of what God has in store for us.  Keeping my heart, mind and soul focused on God reminds me of where we have been. This has been an amazing year watching God at work, meeting our needs in unexpected ways, expanding our reach into our community, and equipping us for what is to come. 

Stewardship helps keep what God is doing in and through us in perspective.  Stewardship encompasses every aspect of our lives.  It is more than just our resources, our finances, and our sense of generosity.  Stewardship is also about our service to the church and our dedication to loving our neighbors.  Ultimately stewardship is our response to God.  It is a promise of trust, and an act of gratitude. 

I hope you will take some time this week to reflect on our Stewardship journey and how you would like to continue the journey into 2025.  This Sunday we will be dedicating our pledges (Sacrifices of Thanksgiving and our promises to God) during worship.  You will find a pledge card in the Weekly link, or you can fill it out on Sunday when you come to worship.  Our pledge is about more than just our money and how much we will give to support the work and ministry of Emmanuel.  It is a promise of trust, an act of gratitude.  Together, as Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, we make a promise to God to continue to be faithful stewards of all that God has given us.  We make a pledge of support, an offering of thanks, a promise to be generous with our time, talent and treasure.

Blessings,
Pastor Jenni 

“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and make good your vows to the Most High.”  Ps. 50:14