It’s great to hear athletes and movie stars give God glory. Sometimes it is heartfelt, other times it may not be. The wording can be clichéd; when I was in a similar situation, I would say: “Yeah, God really blessed me.”
But the point is, on some level the celebrity recognizes: I DID NOT DO THIS ON MY OWN.
In Nehemiah, the Hebrew people looked back on centuries of falling away from God through the Deuteronomic Principle, or “the sin cycle.” God would bless His people, they would get comfortable and fall into sin, God would send judgment, they would repent, God would deliver them, and they would fall into sin again….
Following the Babylonian Captivity, the Jews wanted to make a change. After days of Bible reading and prayer and fasting, they were ready to get serious. So to ensure that their children and grandchildren would remember God’s holiness, they created an organized system of giving. The reason?
Giving reminds you: I DID NOT DO THIS ON MY OWN.
“We will bring the FIRSTFRUITS of our land and of EVERY FRUIT TREE … year by year. We will also bring the firstborn of our SONS* and of our LIVESTOCK…. And will bring the firstborn of our HERDS and FLOCKS…. We will bring a LOAF FROM OUR FIRST BATCH OF DOUGH to the priests. We will also bring the FIRSTFRUITS OF OUR GRAIN OFFERINGS … and of our NEW WINE and OIL. A tenth of our land’s PRODUCE belongs to the Levites….” Nehemiah 10:35-37.
God’s people resolved to give Him the first and the best of everything: their crops, animals, bread, wine, and oil.
Giving back to God reminds us: I DID NOT DO THIS ON MY OWN.
Giving a tithe is more powerful than parroting empty words after a touchdown, “I just wanna thank Jesus Christ for getting me here today….” Anyone can say that. But giving away your bread—your MONEY—that’s the real test of your heart.
If you struggle with giving your money back to God, give Him MORE, and pray for Him to help you and guide you in your giving.
ΑΩ
*The Hebrews did not sacrifice their children, of course, as God calls that an abomination. But they would dedicate their firstborn son to the Lord by sacrificing a lamb on his behalf. See Exodus 13:12-16.
Household Words: 