A devotional Written by Debbie Norred
1 Corinthians 4:2 (ESV)**
“Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”
This Sunday, as we gather at First United Methodist Church of Panama City, we come with grateful hearts—hearts that remember how God has carried us, kept us, provided for us, and sustained us through another year. Stewardship Sunday is not about fundraising… it is about faithfulness. And 1 Corinthians 4:2 reminds us that God doesn’t ask for perfection, pressure, or performance. He simply asks that His stewards be found faithful.
A steward is someone trusted with what belongs to another. Everything we have—our time, our gifts, our resources, our compassion, our influence—has been entrusted to us by a loving Father who knows exactly why He placed them in our hands.
And what He entrusts, He invites us to return back to Him in worship, thanksgiving, and obedience.
Today we look back and say, “Lord, thank You. You have been faithful.”
And we look forward and pray, “Lord, bless what is ahead. We want to be faithful too.”
As we bring our pledges for the 2026 ministry budget, we aren’t just filling out a card. We are placing a piece of our life into God’s hands so that the work of Christ can continue—right here in our community and in the nations beyond us.
Through these offerings, someone will hear the gospel.
A hungry family will eat.
A child will learn about Jesus.
A missionary will be strengthened.
A hurting person will find hope.
A heart will be healed.
A life will be changed.
Our giving becomes a seed that God multiplies in ways we may never fully see on this side of heaven.
Stewardship is not about what we lose—it is about what God will do through what we release.
When we give from a place of faith and gratitude, we are saying:
“Lord, I trust You with my life, my future, and all that You have entrusted to me.”
So today, let’s come with joy.
Let’s come with expectation.
Let’s come as faithful stewards who know that every good work done in His name echoes into eternity.
May the Lord bless this congregation, guide our steps for the coming year, and use our faithfulness to shine His light from Panama City to the ends of the earth.
In gratitude and hope,
Amen.
