Test Him in This: The Invitation of Tithing
In Sydney, Australia, at our local church, Greater Western Sydney, I went through a spell where I was regularly put on platform to “share around our giving.” This was a time when the church would collectively turn their heart to the act of tithing—or giving 10% of their income to God and His church.
When it first began to happen a lot, I remember worrying that I was going to run out of things to say about tithing and generosity; that there are only so many verses in the bible, and only so many principles of generosity to talk about in an encouraging way!
The funny thing is, after nearly 7 years of doing so, I never once ran out of things to say.
So, this is where I struggle today — there is SO MUCH to say about tithing. So much to say about the sacred rhythm of giving to God your first fruits and receiving, from God, His provision. There’s so much to say about the state of our hearts and how powerful an act generosity can be for it.
I don’t know about you, but I’m a big believer in the ‘why behind the what’. I believe that understanding the reason you do something is crucial for the longevity of your commitment to that thing. So, I loved probing scripture and teaching others why tithing was so powerful.
But I think there are still many of us who are content to take a lot of the commands of the Bible at face value, without asking ‘why’. Maybe we don’t care that much, or maybe we feel questioning is disrespectful or disloyal. I’m thinking, especially, of the generations where ‘doing as you’re told’ and ‘obeying without question’ is almost a character trait to be prized and valued.
The problem with this kind of loyalty is that it will always be tested, and if you’re not able to back it up with experience and conviction, it will always fail you.
The other problem with this, is that it’s not actually the kind of obedience God wants from you. He doesn’t want a blind follower who goes along with the other sheep, never considering why He designed us the way He did, or why He instructs us the way He does.
I firmly believe God desires, and approves of, circumstances wherein that blind obedience is tested, because He’d rather you have a heart conviction that is strong and unwavering. He wants you to have experienced for yourself His goodness. He wants you to have put Him to the test and He wants to prove himself to you!
“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 there will not be room enough to store it.”- Malachi 3:10
I love this verse. My husband and I named our son, Malachi, because our lives had, at that point, been a living testimony of God’s faithfulness and provision for us. We did test Him in this—trusting him with our lives, our housing, the food on our table, hospital bills, children and more—sometimes with fear and trembling, sometimes with a haughty, doubtful heart. He doesn’t mind either, as long as we give Him the chance to actually prove Himself.
And I promise He always will. In fact, He can’t wait to prove Himself to you because in this testing, is an invitation to a deeper relationship with your Creator. One where He shows Himself to be loving, compassionate, caring, and one who desires the best for you.
So go ahead, dive into the scripture that instructs us to tithe. Probe the wisdom behind this sacred rhythm and don’t just see it as a blind command, or something you do to be a respectable churchgoer. There is beauty in the relationship of giving to God, so He can keep your heart pure, so He can open up the floodgates and bless you, so you can trust Him.
#tithing #stewarship #testhiminthis #provision #blessingsoverflowing #intimacywithGod
