Monday, November 18, 2024
Because I, the Lord, have not changed, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed. Since the days of your ancestors, you have turned from my statutes; you have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Armies. Yet you ask, “How can we return?” “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me!” “How do we rob you?” you ask. “By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions. You are suffering under a curse, yetyou—the whole nation—are still robbing me. Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Malachi 3:6-10
Are You Robbing God?
The prophet Malachi was speaking to a spiritually dry Israel. They had been delivered from exile and had rebuilt the temple but were apathetic in their relationship with God. They gave begrudgingly and spoke dishonorably of God. God was silent and they wondered if He would ever return. They had stepped away from God, but He had not left them. They had turned from God’s statutes over and over, and yet God did not turn His back on them and destroy them. He allowed them to turn back to Him just as He does us. He is a faithful God. He was faithful then and He is faithful now.
We are blessed to be loved by God. He is God – He doesn’t have to choose any of us. He didn’t have to have mercy on us and offer us salvation and eternal life. But He did, and He will never go back on His word. He never changes. Because of His promise to us we know that His love for us, and His choice for us will never change, even though we still turn away from Him and sin in our weakness. He promises that if we repent and turn back to Him, He will return to us. This is true repentance – radically turning away from sin and turning back to God. True repentance is always followed by true obedience.
The Israelites asked how they could return, and God said they were robbing Him. They did not understand. Then God told them the whole nation was suffering under a curse and still robbing Him. Then God tells them how they can return to Him - Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house.
What was God talking about? He was talking about giving. The Israelites were robbing God by withholding their tithes and offerings. Everything we have belongs to God. He is the only reason we have what we have, and it all belongs to Him. He gives it to us to be good stewards with what He has given. Not tithing on what He has given is robbing Him. Powerful words. How awful to rob God, who has given us all things including life, breath, salvation, and eternal life. No one ever has, or ever will give us more than He has. Because Israel had not obeyed God’s command to tithe, God did not bless them materially or spiritually the way He would have if they had chosen to obey. Their actions showed that their hearts were far from God.
What can we learn about giving which might help us grow to become better stewards of the resources God has given us?
Having financial problems carries unspeakable weight. But sometimes we compound these problems by not being obedient in our relationship with God. Things are tight. We are living paycheck to paycheck. We make debt for ourselves, out of both necessity and desire, that is impossible to overcome. The kids need shoes and clothes. The kids need food and to go to the doctor. We have medical bills. And we don't know how the electric bill will get paid this month. Unfortunately debt only creates more debt. We are afraid to tithe because we have no extra money at all. We don’t have faith to step into the darkness in obedience to a God who always has been and always will be faithful to us as He has promised.
Obedience starts in the heart. Even if we have not been good stewards in the past, we can start now. If our heart is right with God and we are walking in a relationship with Him, we will want to obey. Tithing is about our devotion to God in obedience - out of honor and glory to Him. When we have a transformative relationship with God we are changed as we grow in Him. This is the path of discipleship. Obedience is part of that path, and giving is part of obedience. We are to faithfully obey if we want to grow as a disciple of Jesus. Give what you can give but give something. Start now.
Are you robbing God by not giving anything back to Him? Do you have the faith required to truly step out in obedience?
