8. Wala ka sa Lolo ko. He was bankrupt, he was bankrolled by The Lord, Most Generous God.
31 August 2020
A bronze mite, also known as a Lepton (meaning small), minted by Alexander Jannaeus, King of Judaea, 103 - 76 B.C.. and still in circulation at the time of Jesus
PD
Luke 21
The Widow’s Offering
2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling. (Psalm 68:5)
Let me dwell on the story of another widow in the Bible.
1 Kings 17
Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath
8 Then the word of the Lord came to him:
9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.”
10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?”
11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”
12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”
13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.
14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”
15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.
16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.
Imagine, a poor widow being used by God to support the "Iron Prophet" Elijah.
It's not normal to aim to be poor, that's for sure.
In my case, I went bankrupt and I did not intend it to be.
When I got separated from employment at age 37, I had the house title and car registration in my name and some money in the bank. Then three years after, another separation package from my employer.
Then the next five years the swift slide down, I went bankrupt as in bankrupt, at a time when my children were starting college. They were years of famine, pain and tears.
One day, my children's children will say, wala ka sa Lolo ko, he was bankrupt, he was bankrolled by the Lord.
Nowadays, I would liken myself to a tentmaker.
A reference to Apostle Paul, by a Jew named Aquila and his wife Priscilla:
And because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. (Acts 18:3)
Life is modest at this stage of my life. I would at times, think about if I would be able to pay back God the million-peso bankroll he made to bail me out, the free tuition of my two daughters in Ateneo, by my way of giving tithes and help to other people.
Looking back, I was given special favor by Most Generous God. Back then, I read scholarship or financial aid would be for one in a family, to give way to other families. I acknowledged such rule in my letter to Ateneo for the application for scholarship for my second daughter Patricia or Patty. Later, the classmates of my eldest daughter Vanessa or Vannie would tell her, ang daya nyo naman, dalawa kayong scholar. My wife Marlou would say back then, mahigit ka pa sa kapitan ng barko, dalawang anak mo nasa Ateneo; Vannie had a high school batchmate who went to Ateneo tuition-paying, his Dad was a Master Mariner at that time. I would say, that special favor from the Lord lifted my spirit through the midlife crisis to attest today that, with God nothing is impossible. Amen.
“When you have nothing left but God, you become aware that God is enough.” — Maude Royden
That must be the motto of the poor widow who made the offering of two very small copper coins.
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Luke 21
The Widow’s Offering
1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.
2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.
3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.
4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Philippians 4
Thanks for Their Gifts
15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only;
16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.
17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.
18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Giving back to God in ways am able for God provides in so many ways. Thankful. Grateful.
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