Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Trust God With Firstfruits

Honor the LORD with your wealth,

With the first fruits of all your crops;

Then your barns will be filled to overflowing,

And your vats will brim over with new wine.

-- Proverbs 3:9-10

We seem to trust God with just about everything. We trust Him with our health. We trust Him with our families. We trust Him to hear us when we cry out and when we rejoice. We trust God. We do. Just not with our money.

Oops! We’re suppose to. We know that. And we’re so sure that God understands. We’ve got bills you see and we’ve only got so much money. There’s just no way it will stretch far enough if we have to give 10 percent to the church.

Besides, why should we have to give money when we don’t agree with everything the church leaders use it for? They can just cut back on a few things. Or, better yet, let someone with extra money give a little more. That’ll make everybody happy.

Everybody but God, that is. See God didn’t hand us a multiple choice question. And He really didn’t provide us with an option. God is honest and direct: Give to God first and then everything will be fine.

Maybe it comes down to priorities. A dear man recently explained that he simply couldn’t tithe right now. He’s just gone through a divorce and has lost so much financially. God understands, he assured me, adding that he’ll start tithing again as soon as he can.

Not too long afterward, the man purchased a small building and had it torn apart and rebuilt on his property. He always seems to have plenty of money to go out to eat and to spoil his grandchildren. But he doesn’t have enough money for God.

A number of years ago I gave up a lucrative job and made a life-changing move to the other side of the country. I didn’t plan to stay, but here I am. I earn enough money but nowhere near what I was accustomed to earning. Still, I give God the first 10 percent from everything I earn. Sometimes I have no idea how I’ll pay for insurance and other necessities. The funny thing about it is that I’ve always had enough.

Our God is beyond amazing. He takes care of us in ways we can’t begin to imagine. And He always keeps His promises. Always. So when He tells us that if we give Him our firstfruits, He’ll make sure we have more than enough, we can trust Him to do exactly that.