Deuteronomy 26
Today's Passage: Deuteronomy 26
I remember being a broke college student and the Spirit convicting me of not tithing. I made about $400 every two weeks, and so I gave $20 a week to the church. I thought to myself, “What is God going to do with a measly $20 every week? How much can that really advance His Kingdom?”
My problem was two things: (1) I was comparing my giving to others around me, (2) I put a limit on what an almighty God can do. In all reality, what is $20 to the God who created everything? But here is what I had to understand:
Tithing is an act of worship. It’s worship because you are declaring two things that we see from the passage:
In our lives, tithing should be an act of worship. As 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Written By: Brice Stockton
I remember being a broke college student and the Spirit convicting me of not tithing. I made about $400 every two weeks, and so I gave $20 a week to the church. I thought to myself, “What is God going to do with a measly $20 every week? How much can that really advance His Kingdom?”
My problem was two things: (1) I was comparing my giving to others around me, (2) I put a limit on what an almighty God can do. In all reality, what is $20 to the God who created everything? But here is what I had to understand:
Tithing is an act of worship. It’s worship because you are declaring two things that we see from the passage:
1. The Lord has provided. In the first few verses, you see that the land Israel will inherit is going to bring about a harvest. This land is flowing with “milk and honey” (v. 9). And this land was Israel’s because God gave it to them. He chose this land, He promised them this land, and this land was good. The people of Israel were then to bring the firstfruit of the harvest to God, not the middle or the last, but the first. In doing so, they were declaring, the Lord has provided.
2. We are followers of Him. Tithing also identified the people of Israel to God. Look back at verse 17, “You have declared today that the Lord is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice.” Tithing communicated Israel’s commitment to God.
In our lives, tithing should be an act of worship. As 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Written By: Brice Stockton
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