Robbing God

 "Then Jacob made a vow saying, 'If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's household, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me, I will give you a tenth.'" Genesis 28: 20-22

    Has the Lord been good to you? Has He kept His side of the bargain? Or has He been indifferent, not caring whether you're in a tough spot or not? Have you nothing to wear (be serious now)? Has there ever been a time when your cupboards were bare, no resources or provisions of any kind? If you lost a job, were you able to find another? Perhaps you had a time when you couldn't pay some bills but Someone helped you through it. Can you recall a time when you felt so alone, so down in the dumps, that it seemed you'd never feel joyful again? Then, the phone rang or a stranger came alongside you or you saw a red cardinal flit past your window which meant a sign of hope, and the clouds parted. 

    I challenge you to sit down with a notebook in hand, make some herbal tea and tuck your toes under an afghan in a quiet place and begin to record all your blessings in one column. Then, in the second column, write down all the ways you give back to God. How do your lists compare?  I do not imply to do good works to earn salvation. This is about spreading our hands out in benevolence, not keeping closed fists.  How can we tithe our time, talents and monetary gifts to keep tempo with the showers of blessings we receive? 

    Years ago, I heard a sermon given on the passage of Malachi chapter three, verses eight to twelve. In the body of this passage is an invitation from God to test Him in this concept: Bring the whole tithe and watch the floodgates of heaven open up! Though we had two small children, a mortgage and all that goes with those things, I committed to try it. Instead of writing an offering check for what I thought we could spare, I gave ten per cent and, you know what? I have never lacked any good thing. 

    Naked we came into this world and naked we leave. In the meantime, have some fun! Be a cheerful giver; then sit back and watch God at work. It's better than anything on television.

"'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,' says the Lord Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.'" Malachi 3: 10