“It is important to note that the first two times Christ inquires of Peter, “Do you love Me?” He uses a form of the word agape, which denotes the highest form of sacrificial and self-emptying love, the kind of love God has for man and that man can develop only through maturing in God's grace. Each time, however, Peter is unable to claim such a lofty love. When Peter answers, “You know that I love You,” he uses the term philo, which is a lesser form of love, akin to brotherly affection. When the Lord asks the third time, “Do you love Me?” He has changed to the term philo, condescending to Peter's weakness and accepting whatever love Peter is able to offer.” (Orthodox Study Bible, John 21:15-17)
“God understands our intent and receives what we offer as long as our hearts yearn for Him.” (OCPM 1/18/2016)
“If we offer nothing to God, He will have nothing to use. But He can take what little we have and turn it into something great...God gives in abundance. He takes whatever we can offer Him in time, ability, or resources and multiplies its effectiveness beyond our wildest expectations. If you take the first step in making yourself available to God, He will show you how greatly you can be used to advance the work of his Kingdom.” (Life Application Study Bible, John 6:8,9,13)
“…no matter who we are — no matter our backgrounds, our talents, our station in life — if weoffer who we are completely to God, He will make us who we are supposed to be. If we offer ourselves completely to God — both our abilities and our limitations — He can and will use us to the glory of His kingdom. (Archpriest Steven Rogers)
“At the end of the Orthodox Sacrament of Baptism and Chrismation, the Priest cuts hair from the person’s head in the form of a Cross. This is meant to be an expression of gratitude and a first offering to God who gives an abundance of blessings. The person has nothing to give to God except him or herself which God receives. Sometimes when we are struggling beyond all struggles, when we feel so down, so exhausted, so spent, that we feel we have nothing left to give, we should remember that God excepts whatever we have to offer sincerely, even if at that moment it’s only our spiritually, mentally, and physically exhausted self.” (Sacramental Living Blog)
“…grace and faith are universally offered to all people…God’s salvation is freely offered, but to nourish our souls we must eagerly receive it.” (Orthodox Study Bible, Romans 10:11-13, Life Application Study Bible, Isaiah 55:1-6)
“The Gospel strains our every sense of proportion, and yet it offers us the unquestionable witness of the word. God not only wishes to be in communion with us, but He has gone out of His way to initiate that rich, intimate fellowship into which He now calls us.” (OCPM 12/22/2015)
“The Good News of Jesus Christ still sounds foolish to many. Our society worships power, influence, and wealth. Jesus came as a humble, poor servant, and He offers his Kingdom to those who have faith..." (Life Application Study, 1 Corinthians 1:22-24)
“Christianity diagnoses the world with brokenness and offers the remedy of God himself, a relationship with him that leads to heart transformation. What is it that truly ails mankind, and is there a cure? From my perspective, the gospel resonates with reality: People are broken in their hearts and souls, and no matter how educated or self-reflective we become, it does not appear that following rules will be enough to address the problem.” (Nabeel Qureshi)
“The truth is God hasn’t set up the Church as an alternative either to pagan religion or to science. The Church is something else altogether, and what it offers is unique: not alleviation of suffering, but the transformation of suffering into life. The Church does not abandon the ordinary things of the world, it offers the world new meaning; it’s not about being transported to a “better” place, but the transfiguration of the place we’re in right now.” (Hieromonk Maximos)