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MARK 12:41-44
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
REFERENCES: PSALM 121:1-8, 145:1-2; 2 CORINTHIANS 12:7-10
In Mark, the large amounts of money thrown in at the temple by the rich men seemed like a strong gesture, while the amount the widow gave seemed to be a weak one. When we dive deeper, Jesus revealed that the widow’s portion was actually the opposite. She sacrificed all she had, giving the greatest offering of them all. This proves we can’t give greater significance to worldly strength over what God views as strength. While the world values control, status, and power, God’s heart turns towards the weak. In all that we do, there is an audience watching, but God is the only one who matters. He is the one who notices what everyone else misses. God sees our sacrifice, no matter how small. We’re stronger than we know. When we do good and live life with integrity, it blesses God and shows our love for him. He doesn’t need our money, he wants us to love him with all of our strength.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” —Mark 12:30
Not only was the widow seen as less-than because she was a woman, but she was also poor. Little did she know, Jesus was watching as she gave her all. Though we may not see the audience of heaven, it is ever-present. God is never far away and notices our actions, even if it seems insignificant in our eyes.
There is a massive contrast between what we see as strength versus what God sees as strength. It has always been the heart of God to gravitate toward the weakest among us. Case in point, Jesus bragged about the poor widow—he was so proud of her sacrifice. Know that God speaks well of you even when you don’t notice and even when you feel at your weakest.
It’s easy to get swayed into believing that earthly possessions are permanent. But you cannot take with you what you’ve built here, it is all temporary. We can become so attached to what is “ours” that we allow it to define how strong we are. The moment we lose a job, fail at a relationship, or feel unstable in any way, we can think that we don’t have it all together. We can even wonder if what we have to offer God is enough. But loving God with all of your strength is not about giving him something big, but about giving out of an honest place. It goes beyond the act and into the intention behind it. So don’t minimize the way you love God or give to him because if you are loving honestly, you are loving and giving strong.
Picture the past 24 hours. If your life were on display, would your actions have blessed God? Remember, you’re never alone, God is always watching over you. Moments of weakness are opportunities to discover strengths, live your life as a blessing to God.
All of you that are already in our database will receive a text this upcoming Thursday from our new text platform. It isn’t spam, it’s really us! This will become a primary way for us to resource, equip, and update you. We encourage you to save this number and opt in for more updates.
VOUS High is youth community of VOUS and we are creating a space for middle schoolers to gather for service every Sunday.
Students will start with worship in the main auditorium and then be dismissed to their junior high space. This will be a moment to connect with other students, hear a message, and then discuss in small groups.
For more information and to RSVP your student, click here
Join us at the annual ILMC Thanksgiving Bash to distribute meal kits and turkeys. Also, bring a chair and cheer on your favorite team at our annual VOUS Bowl.
To serve, click here
Date: Saturday, November 23rd
Time: 9:00AM - 12:30PM
Location: Charles Hadley Park
1350 NW 50th St
Miami, FL 33142
Ready to kick off Thanksgiving with a burst of energy and community? Join us bright and early at Peacock Park for the VOUS 10K Turkey Trot! Whether you're a runner, a walker, or somewhere in between, this is a chance to start your day with some fresh air, great friends, and all-around fun! See you at the starting line!
To sign up for the Turkey Trot, click here
Date: Thursday, November 28th
Time: 6:00AM
Location: Peacock Park
2820 McFarlane Rd.
Miami, FL 33133
On Sunday, December 1st we're bringing our annual Tree Lighting tradition to both our SoMi and Miami Gardens Locations! Sign up to serve and join us for a night of fun! Invite your friends and let's welcome the Christmas season together!
Please note: There will not be a 6PM service at VOUS City. Instead, join us at VOUS Miami Gardens for the 6PM service, followed by the tree lighting celebration.
Date: December 1st
Time: 7:30PM
Location:
VOUS Miami Gardens
17801 NW 2nd Ave
Miami, FL 33169
VOUS SoMi
6767 Sunset Dr
South Miami, FL 33143
To serve, click here
VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
10:30AM / 12:30PM
VOUS Design District
10:30AM / 12:30PM
Church Online
10AM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack
