"You Can't Outgive the Giver" was the title of a sermon I preached at a funeral a number of years ago. I was reminded of it this week as I began to look at Sunday morning's Gospel Lesson: The Feeding of the 5,000.

Try as we may, try as we might, we somehow think that our "giving"...our "doing"...purchases for us the love of God, salvation, and eternal life. It's our sinful nature to try whatever we can to bring ourselves closer to God. It won't work. Sin has separated us.

But you can't outgive the Giver! More than 5,000 were fed that day out of the abundance of God's overflowing grace. He gives because He loves. He forgives because He is gracious. There is always more in His storehouse of abundant love, forgiveness, and life than we could have ever imagined. Though we don't deserve it, we receive it...only because God loves us through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Pray for Mt. Calvary, that each of us would find ourselves regularly in church, where God gives out His abundance! Bring others to church at Mt. Calvary, where they will receive the abundance of God's love, mercy, peace, and favor! Tell others to receive from Jesus His full and free forgiveness!