"And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box." (Mark 12:41)
Consider giving God a blank check with the thing you love most, and saying it out loud, and meaning it. God, if you want us to sell this building, we do not want to, but if you call us to it, we will. God, if you want us to end every program we have, we will. God, if you want to take this down to the studs and start again, we will. A blank check. No strings.
It is worth saying that sentence out loud, because the moment you do, your stomach will drop, and you will not be sure you meant it. That is the test, and it is a good one, and it works on any life, not only a church. Say it about the thing you would least like to lose. God, if you asked me for this, I would hand it over. And then sit very still and notice what rises up in you.
Whatever rises up is the thing you actually worship. Not the thing you would name if someone asked what you worship, but the thing that fought back when you offered it, the thing your heart lunged to protect. God is not cruel to ask; he asks because an idol held in the hand cannot also hold the hand. So write the blank check, name the beloved thing, and watch your own reaction closely. It will tell you the truth about where your treasure has quietly gone.
