ZACHARY'S NOTES: 

Stanza 1 // This hymn wastes little time defining the conundrum of this weekend’s Scripture passage. “All that we have” belongs to God! Stewardship praises God with everything we have - because everything belongs to our Lord.

Stanza 2 // There are two helpful pictures to consider in this stanza. First, we sing words of a prayer, that we might receive what God gives as blessing from the Almighty. It is easy to walk through day-to-day life unaware of where God is at work. Our prayer in this hymn is that - as God’s people - we might see God’s blessing in our lives. The image of first fruits is also instructive - that we give what God bestows for the work of the Church.

Stanza 3 // It would be easy to ask the question: “why give back to God what God gives to us? Doesn’t God want us to have it?” We give of what God bestows because God has power to “release the captive, bring home the lost, and teach life and peace” to those who do not know this great blessing! This is the same liturgical image we celebrate in communion - that the gifts of bread and wine given by God are returned to our Lord that we might be fed with the new life Christ promises. 

Stanza 4 // The final stanza speaks of trust in God’s Word - though we may see evidence to the contrary all around us! - and references our Lord’s words in St. Matthew’s Gospel: “...Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”

SUGGESTIONS:

• ELW 686 - We Give Thee but Thine Own - ʜᴇᴀᴛʜ
• ELW 580 - How Clear Is Our Vocation, Lord - ʀᴇᴘᴛᴏɴ
• ELW 663 - Spread, Oh, Spread, Almighty Word - ɢᴏᴛᴛ ꜱᴇɪ ᴅᴀɴᴋ
• ELW 685 - Take My Life, That I May Be - ᴘᴀᴛᴍᴏꜱ
• ELW 695 - As Saints of Old - ꜰᴏʀᴇꜱᴛ ɢʀᴇᴇɴ
• ELW 757 - All My Hope on God Is Founded - ᴍɪᴄʜᴀᴇʟ
• ELW 871 - Sing Praise to God, the Highest Good - ʟᴏʙᴛ ɢᴏᴛᴛ ᴅᴇɴ ʜᴇʀʀᴇɴ, ɪʜʀ
• ELW 877 - Praise the Almighty! - ʟᴏʙᴇ ᴅᴇɴ ʜᴇʀʀᴇɴ, ᴏ ᴍᴇɪɴᴇ ꜱᴇᴇʟᴇ
• LBW 379 - Spread, Oh, Spread, Almighty Word - ɢᴏᴛᴛ ꜱᴇɪ ᴅᴀɴᴋ
• LBW 404 - As Saints of Old - ʀᴇɢᴡᴀʟ
• LBW 406 - Take My Life, That I May Be - ᴘᴀᴛᴍᴏꜱ
• LBW 539 - Praise the Almighty - ʟᴏʙᴇ ᴅᴇɴ ʜᴇʀʀᴇɴ, ᴏ ᴍᴇɪɴᴇ ꜱᴇᴇʟᴇ
• LBW 542 - Sing Praise to God, the Highest Good - ʟᴏʙᴛ ɢᴏᴛᴛ ᴅᴇɴ ʜᴇʀʀᴇɴ, ɪʜʀ
• LSB 783/784 - Take My Life, That I May Be - ᴘᴀᴛᴍᴏꜱ // ʜᴇɴᴅᴏɴ
• LSB 797 - Praise the Almighty - ʟᴏʙᴇ ᴅᴇɴ ʜᴇʀʀᴇɴ, ᴏ ᴍᴇɪɴᴇ ꜱᴇᴇʟᴇ
• LSB 819 - Sing Praise to God, the Highest Good - ʟᴏʙᴛ ɢᴏᴛᴛ ᴅᴇɴ ʜᴇʀʀᴇɴ, ɪʜʀ
• LSB 830 - Spread the Reign of God the Lord - ɢᴏᴛᴛ ꜱᴇɪ ᴅᴀɴᴋ
• LSB 853 - How Clear Is Our Vocation, Lord - ʀᴇᴘᴛᴏɴ
• RH 233 - Take My Life, That I May Be - ᴘᴀᴛᴍᴏꜱ