Robbing God
Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Numbers 4, 5, 6
Numbers 6:21 (NIV)
21 This is the law of the Nazarite who vows his offering to the Lord in accordance with his separation, in addition to whatever else he can afford. He must fulfill the vow he has made, according to the law of the Nazarite.
Malachi 3:8-9 (NIV)
8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.” But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse – the whole nation of you – because you are robbing me.”
Acts 5:3-4 (NIV)
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.”
Good morning!
How much can you afford to give the Lord? An even greater question may be: How much can you afford not to give Him? As we read through the books of law and study the instructions God gave Moses to His people, we begin to realize the significance He places on our daily offerings. It is obvious that the Lord loves His children with a passion. He desires to extend His presence and blessing upon all those who choose to love and obey Him. Yet, there can be no lasting relationship or bond between God and man without their daily commitment, total devotion, and willingness to obey in every circumstance. From where I sit, that is a pretty tall order.
Do you ever cheat God intentionally? Some people believe if they give the Lord an hour of their time on Saturday or Sunday, they have fulfilled God’s required Sabbath expectation. Do you find the need to worship more of a weekly habit, an obligation to meet, or has it become a lifeline to your body, mind and spirit? Should the time we spend in worship ever really end?
There are some people who would much rather write a check to the church than offer their time to benefit the needs of others. While there is no doubt that monies are desperately needed to help fund projects that will make a lasting difference, sometimes we find it much easier to give a little more money, and a little less of ourselves. We believe our obligations have been fulfilled. Is it really enough? How much time does God realistically expect from you and me?
In my own walk with the Lord, I find that He sees right through me. Not only does God know the true desires of my heart, He sees my motivation or lack thereof. For me, it is not enough to give an hour, a seed offering, a thirty-second prayer, or even an occasional assist to someone who needs a helping hand. I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to give back enough to express the thankfulness I feel to the One who has saves and breathes new life into my heart every morning. The gift of forgiveness and relationship with Him is the most precious thing I have ever received. So why would I choose to cheat Him? Why would anyone choose to intentionally rob the Lord?
If I were to try and make a laundry list of every single time I didn’t give my all, I would be typing for all eternity. We defend our motives, justify our thoughts, and raise up our good deeds for all to see and applaud. We think we’re fooling those around us – we may even succeed at deceiving each other and maybe even ourselves. We will NEVER be able to fool the Lord. He reads us like an open book.
God knows I’m far from perfect. I miss the mark every day in every way. His grace and mercy is all I can possibly hope for. The righteousness of Jesus Christ is what I need. He took my every mistake, every intentional act of deceit, and hung naked on a Roman cross of torture and shame just so I could be free from sin and death. He purchased my soul on Calvary’s tree. Will my meager offering ever be enough? Is there anything I would purposely withhold from the One who gives me life?
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com
Pray for: understanding. You have been bought with a heavy price. What will you offer the Lord today? Will you give Him your all?
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© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
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