Monday Reading: Proverbs 3:9-10
Key Verse: Proverbs 3:9
9 Honour Jehovah with your substance, and with the first-fruits of all your increase;
Devotion:
Too often do we forget to thank people for what we receive; too often do we take for granted the things that we have and too often do we take our Lord God for granted. We need to take a step back daily and think of all that God is able, willing and has provided for us. When we see just how much there is that He has given us then we need to thank Him for all that He does for us. The obvious way of thanking Him for all that He gives us is to give back to Him part of that treasure that He supplies in our everyday lives.
This is not to be only taken literally and for us to give tithes on everything that we earn but rather to give to God part of our substance. So what is giving to God? Yes it is tithes but it is also giving to His people. If we live a privileged life then we should be able to support those who are not living such a life as we are; the poor and needy, the lonely and the vulnerable. We need to think about the ways in which we can help in making sure that His Word is spread and taught everywhere. We need to think about ways in which we can encourage others and always seek out ways in which we can glorify God.
These things should not be an afterthought after we have sorted out how much He has given us and then give what we think others deserve but rather to give according to what we get in the first place. If we are getting a small wage, then giving large donations will not increase our wage but rather leave us short. It’s not just the wages coming in but the blessing He gives us all the time. We can share other things than money with others because love and support will often go a lot further than just money. God wants us to live together supporting each other in love as we can afford. God wants us to be able to show others just how much He does give us on a daily basis.
Points to Ponder:
Do you feel rich?
Are you including God’s rich blessings?
