BIBLE PASSAGE:
“Each of you must bring a gift in proportion
to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.”
(Deuteronomy 16:17)
MEDITATION:
When the subject of “giving” (in particular “tithing”)
is mentioned, there are some typical reactions.
The negative, or greedy person says,
“The church is always asking for money” and
“God doesn’t need my money”
(it is true that God doesn’t need our money, but He gives us this
opportunity to show the depth of our faith, trust, and love of Him).
The evading person says, “I give to other causes” (which is great,
but it should never be a replacement of God’s instructions).
Some often say, “That was God’s instructions for biblical
times and are not applicable to the modern world we live in”.
That would imply that God shows favoritism but the
scriptures tell us that God does NOT show favoritism.
For God does not show favoritism. (Romans 2:11)
Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true
it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts
from every nation the one who fears him and does
what is right. (Acts 10:34-35)
For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord
of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who
shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.
(Deuteronomy 10:17)
God gives instructions to the Israelites (and us) on giving. For the
Israelites it was not to be omitted during the Festival of Unleavened
Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Tabernacles.
First, notice how the context of their
instructions emphasizes rejoicing in the Lord.
And rejoice before the Lord your God at the place he
will choose as a dwelling for his Name—you, your
sons and daughters, your male and female servants,
the Levites in your towns, and the foreigners, the
fatherless and the widows living among you.
(Deuteronomy 16:11)
Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters,
your male and female servants, and the Levites, the
foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in
your towns. For seven days celebrate the festival to the
Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. For
the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and
in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete.
(Deuteronomy 16:14-15)
We can clearly see that these were times of celebration. The message
to us is, “Our hearts should be filled with the joy of the Lord”,
and “We will be blessed for our obedience to His command”.
Second, notice that they were not to come “empty-handed”.
Three times a year all your men must appear before
the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the
Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks
and the Festival of Tabernacles. No one should appear
before the Lord empty-handed. (Deuteronomy 16:16)
Words are cheap, but giving to the Lord confirms our faith. The
gifts brought to God, reflect what is in each person’s heart. Giving
with joy shows the sincerity of our commitment to worship and obey.
Third, notice the gift was to be in proportion to the way they had
been blessed. This was a tithe, however it was not a percentage gift,
but a proportionate one. In the same way, our giving is to be
“as God has blessed” and “in keeping with our income”.
Each of you must bring a gift in proportion
to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.
(Deuteronomy 16:17)
On the first day of every week, each one of you
should set aside a sum of money in keeping with
your income, saving it up, so that when I come no
collections will have to be made. (1 Corinthians 16:2)
Some people find joy through gaining and keeping, but followers of
Christ find a greater joy as they give back to Him from their gain.
I have heard many ‘tithing testimonies’ but I discovered first-hand
how God blesses those who are grateful for His blessings and have
chosen to obey His command to tithe.
My wife and I decided to start tithing (first on the net amount of my
salary, later on the gross amount, and finally above the gross amount).
After we had been giving above the 10% for several years, during
an 11 month period my salary was increased by 10%, followed by
15%, followed by 11%. That was a compounded increase of over 40%!
It is a true statement, “We can never out-give God”. In our case,
He blessed us ‘financially’ after we started tithing, and He still
blesses us today in many other ways!
ACTION:
God’s message to His people is clear:
“If you love Me and belong to Me,
then show it through your faith, obedience and trust”.
How do you feel in your heart about giving? Do thoughts of ‘legalism’
come to mind, or have you decided that it makes sense that God to
would give us “tithing” as a way to prove our love, faith, and trust
in Him?
Think about the times you have given something to someone else.
Not only was it good for them, but seeing their appreciation made
you feel good as well. We enjoy being able to give to others, so why
wouldn’t we enjoy giving to our Creator?
If you have been falling short in obeying the Lord in this area,
then pray and ask the Lord to teach you how you should give,
and step out in faith. Give the Lord a chance to show you how
He blesses those who obey. Consider a tithe (10%) as the starting
point for giving (even if it is on your net salary), and rather than
thinking about what you could do with that amount you give
to Him, think about how God has blessed you with the 90%
you can keep to enjoy.
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, forgive me for considering everything
as mine and overlooking how I have been blessed by You.
Teach me to obey all of Your commands and not just the
ones I prefer to obey. Forgive me for not returning to You
a portion of all You have given me. Help me to realize that
when I obey You in the area of tithing, I will be blessed in
new ways which may not be financially. Thank You for
giving me this opportunity to prove my faith and show
my love for You.”
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