My Offering

"not room enough to receive it"

Malachi 3:10

So I don't know about you, but finances are tough in our household.

You too?  Can I get a show of hands?

Yeah, I thought so... I'll pray for you all. 

God provides all we need, but there is little left over for extras.  {Although God does provide a few of those, too!}  Hubby and I are discussing all purchases ~ even the little ones ~ and working with our Amazing and Awesome Kids to make choices about what's important in our lives.  It's hard sometimes, but I know it's so valuable, especially for our kids.

Y'know, I really hate calling my kids "kids" sometimes; they're not children anymore.  But somehow, calling them our "offspring" just doesn't convey all the love I feel...

At any rate, I know it's a great education for them to know how important a budget is, and how to live with one.  Which makes me grateful, once again, that God wastes nothing.  He uses every experience in our lives to grow us and mold us, and I know He's faithful to do so with my... offspring.

One of the things that we all agree on, is continuing to donate money.  It might be to our church; it might be to friends raising money for a mission trip; it might be to a charity whose work we value.  It's definitely a smaller amount than it used to be.  Sometimes very small.  But we know that everything we have is because God provides, so we give back.  One of my favorite verses is on this subject, and it's a challenge from God.  It's Malachi 3, and God is accusing His people of sinning in ~ among other ways ~ not contributing to the temple.  And He challenged them to tithe as commanded.

Now, the reason it's one of my favorite verses is partially because it's a challenge.  There are few things more precious, I believe, than a challenge from God.  First because, when God challenges, you know that if you succeed, the rewards for your efforts and your obedience will be beyond what you can imagine.  And second because, when God challenges, you know you can succeed, because He never asks more of us than we can do.

Never.

Really.

So here is God's challenge to His children ~ and that includes us, not just the ones to whom Malachi was speaking directly:

" 'Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house."

Bring what you are supposed to bring, He commands.  A direction, I might add, that no parent should have to make.  Do what you are supposed to do.  It's the best advice anyone could possibly give.  It is all-purpose, and accurate in every situation.  

Admittedly, the tricky part, sometimes, is knowing what you are supposed to do...

But in this case, they knew.  Tithe.  Ten percent.  

And if they met His challenge, here was His promise:

"And try Me now in this,' says the Lord of hosts..."

Go ahead, give it a shot.  Just try Me and see.

'If I will not open for you the windows of heaven

And pour out for you such blessing

That there will not be room enough to receive it.' "

You know what that is?  That's a promise of abundance.  And no one promises abundance like God promises abundance. 

Try Him and see.

~ "As soon as the commandment was circulated, 

the children of Israel brought in abundance 

the firstfruits of grain and wine, 

oil and honey, and of all the produce of the field, 

and they brought in abundantly

   the tithe of everything" ~

2 Chronicles 31:5