As I made my way to the gate at Amsterdam Airport, the Holy Spirit gently reminded me of a suggestion He had made a while earlier. A few days before my departure, the Lord had shown me to bless a brother in Christ with $100 while I was abroad.

I’m not sure about you, but I’m not always comfortable acting like an ATM when I’m around God’s children. Maybe God had forgotten that I live in Europe and not in the United States. Even getting those dollars would cost me extra money. In my humble opinion, that didn’t seem very efficient or smart.

The Scripture That Challenged Me

To make things even more interesting, a specific scripture came to mind—one of those scriptures I used to receive as somewhat manipulative in the past. Let me quote it. Check your pulse and see how you receive the Word:

“Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.
You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. ‘For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.’
And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”
— 2 Corinthians 9:6–8 (NLT)

Choosing to Obey

Since I didn’t have much time left before my flight, I decided to give in to the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit.

The next challenge was finding an ATM, which seemed to have been taken away during the rapture. After asking around, I discovered that Amsterdam Airport had simply changed its location.

To make a long story short, I withdrew the dollars and decided to be happy about blessing someone with them. And so I did.

Unexpected Surprises

During the week I spent abroad, some “weird” things started to happen.

After a Sunday morning meeting, someone handed me money.
“Brother, I don’t want you to be hungry during your visit in our nation.”

In my mind I thought, Are you kidding me? The churches were already taking good care of me during this trip—except for one evening.

“Aha, Lord. Thank You for being faithful.”

Later that week someone else shook my hand. His hand felt strange. Or actually… it felt like a €50 bill. Which turned out to be exactly right.

I began thanking God because the costs I had made to give those $100 were now covered.

Then the Lord gently reminded me of the expensive dinner from the night before—the one I thought I had paid for myself.

With a bit of shock I realized that someone else had actually covered that bill as well.

God is faithful. He keeps His promises even when we doubt them. Can I get an Amen?

He wasn’t turned off by my hesitation before I withdrew the money. At the airport, He saw my love for Him. It was out of love that I chose to obey—not out of religious duty, but out of relationship.

Selah

This blog is not about fundraising or taking a love offering during a church meeting—don’t worry.

It is about a deeper question.

Are you willing to obey the voice of the Holy Spirit?

What will you decide to do when obedience costs you something?

Do you truly comprehend and embrace the promises written in Scripture? Or have certain teachers caused you to distrust or even reject them?

And above all—do we serve the Lord with joy and love, even when we do not see the reward immediately?

Because in the end, obedience is not really about the money—as in this case.
It is about the heart.

Prayer

As I have shared a testimony of obedience and blessing, I would like to close with a prayer.

Our obedience should come from a pure heart with pure motives. That is why I encourage you to pray the prayer found in Book of Psalms 139:23–24. When we allow God to search our hearts, we allow Him to keep our motives pure.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
— Psalm 139:23–24 (NLT)