Day 42
We
obligate ourselves to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits
of all fruit of every tree, year by year, to the house of the Lord.
Nehemiah
10:35
The
struggle to keep our priorities straight is a very real one. There are things
that vie for our attention constantly. In the midst of the hustle and bustle,
it is easy to forget where our blessings come from, leading to stress, anxiety,
and frustration.
The
people in Nehemiah’s time had forgotten to keep their focus on God. Overtime,
they were worried about the wrong things and gave their attention to matters
that were not important. To correct this, they made a renewed commitment to the
tithe. They committed to bring the firstfruits of the ground and the first
fruits of their trees to the Lord.
This
act of giving the firstfruits does two things. First, it serves as an act of
thanksgiving. It is a reminder that all we have comes from the hand of God. Second,
it serves as an act of faith. It is as if we are saying, I know where this
blessing came from and I will trust that you will continue to provide in the
future.
Clearly,
the discipline of tithing is a difficult one for some. To give up a tenth of
one’s income before we even get started is a real challenge. However, we must decide
whether we are going to trust in our own ability to provide, or in God’s
faithfulness toward us. Malachi 3:10 challenges us with this, “Bring the full
tithe into the storehouse…and thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts,
if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a
blessing until there is no more need.”
If
you find yourself in a place of discouragement, related to your finances and
needs, know that this is the one time we are invited to “test God.” Take a step
of faith and see what He might do.
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