Testing God

"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' 
In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me.  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 you will not have room enough for it.” (Malachi 3:8-10 NIV)

Call it a quirk, but I just love having things filled up.  I get a great feeling when the pantry and fridge are stocked full with food, and the bank account is replenished at the beginning of the month.  I suppose it is the sense of security it provides, knowing that I need not worry about running out.  Yet, there is also a danger that lurks in that desire for security.  It can become more important than God.

When Malachi spoke the words of God, the Israelites were holding onto all they had, fearing they could not spare anything.  Although they were back in their own land after years of exile, their memories were still fresh, like my parents who grew up during the Depression and were reluctant to part with anything.  They remembered when things were hard and scarce.  

Yet, God’s promise to Israel and to us is that He will provide abundantly for our needs.  We do not need to cling to everything as if we will never be re-supplied.  God’s storehouse is full and He wants to pour out His blessings upon us, and He calls us to test Him on this.  How?  By being generous with what we already have, not hoarding it for ourselves.  

Most of us would not consider ourselves rich, but the Lord wants us to be generous with what we have been given.  The tithe was a place for the Israelites to start, 10% of their income was to be given to the Lord. They were holding back and God said bring the whole tithe and I will richly bless you.  

Are you holding back on giving what the Lord has asked?  Know that your security is not found in material things, but in the Lord.  He wants you to trust in Him for your security. Test Him and you will not be disappointed.  

©  Jim Musser 2017