Giving from the Heart
Yesterday at COTH, we began a new series entitled "The Exodus Experience: Wandering with Purpose". Over the next several weeks, we will be looking at the Israelites' Exodus to see what lessons the Lord might teach us about living a life of faith when the way is not clear. God never wastes anything, even those times when His way is not apparent. In those times, He is purging us and preparing us for the next phase of our journey.
Specifically, we looked at Exodus 25-36 at God's command for the contributions and construction of the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was the place where God chose to manifest His presence. It was also the place where God made provision for the atonement of sins through the offering of blood sacrifices. We live on the other side of the Cross, and we understand that the one true and efficacious sacrifice has been made by the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ.
The people's response in giving for the construction of the Tabernacle was overwhelming; in fact, that had to be told to stop! (Exodus 36:4-7) Why did they give so much? Because their hearts were moved (Exodus 35:21-22,29). These people understood the significance of God's presence and God's provision. Maybe they thought about what it was like to be separated from God and the joy of redemption. We too should reflect upon the redemption we have in Christ and let that stir our hearts and inform our giving.
Talking about giving can be challenging, especially in seasons of financial difficulty. During the message, I read an exert from a letter given to me by a COTH attend-er. This person (and family), has experienced first hand the faithfulness of God as they were obedient to Him in their giving. I wanted you to be able to see the whole letter. Hopefully, you will be encouraged and challenged by this family's journey towards faith and obedience and experience to joy of giving!
Blessings, Pastor Randy
As I listened to your last message on giving I felt God tug on my heart to share my story. I grew up in a household that always tithed on what we received. It is a pattern that I have continued into my adult life. I suspect that someone listening to this is thinking, “but you don’t know my struggles. I can barely get through on what I make. There is no way I could give
That’s a normal response and actually a very logical one. But the commandment from God to give our offerings isn’t about logic. It’s about faith and trust. God makes some specific promises in the Bible about our giving. And in Malachi 3 especially God makes a covenant with us. Starting in verse 10 He says “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 you will not have room enough for it." I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.
Talk about a powerful promise! I can tell you that God has NEVER failed to deliver on that promise. Even when times seemed pretty dark, we were never without the money we needed at that exact moment. And God was never late – ever. I always had the money exactly when I needed it.
One time I had just written our check to the church knowing that we could have used those funds. But my heart was intent on obeying God. Two days latter we received a settlement from our insurance company of $500 for an automobile accident that had happened over 4 years earlier. The check from the insurance company was more than double the check we had just given to the church.
Another time we had a family emergency and had to spend $800 dollars on emergency plane tickets. On the flight home I asked God to help us find the money to pay for those tickets. We had literally just walked in the door when the phone rang with an offer for a short-term job for someone we had never even talked to before. When we were done with the job we ended up with $801 in profit – enough to cover our plane tickets.
Right after 9-11 our family went through a serious financial crisis. My husband was laid off and I got a pay cut equivalent to 60% of what I was making. In a matter of a month we lost 75% of our family income.
We ate macaroni & cheese, hot dogs, only shopped at the discount grocery stores, turned the heat down – scrimped on everything. And we continued to give. We got the most mysterious checks in the mail from unemployment funds that we didn’t know existed. We picked up work in the strangest ways – it often felt like it was raining down on us just like manna from heaven. Enough for that day and enough to keep us trusting God to keep His word for our provision.
We lived frugally but even at that we were stretched to pay for basic needs. But we never had a bill we couldn’t pay. We would go to the store to make purchases and receive huge discounts just by being there at the right time.
Christmas 2001 we decided we really wanted to put up a tree but weren’t sure how to pay for it. We went to buy the tree and ended up with one that had been marked down 50%, plus that day was on sale for an additional 60% off. So we bought a $70 Christmas tree for $12!! And it was one of the most beautiful trees we ever had at Christmas.
I had to take a flight for business which we had to pay for out of our own pocket. Because of 9-11 I ended up with a $500 flight for under $100. The hotel had some issues with their electricity and my stay only cost $25 and they gave me a free hot breakfast – eggs & sausage! From that trip we were hired for a job that lasted for 4 years as a direct result of that visit.
At the end of 2003, we were once again making full salaries. We realized to our amazement that in spite of how tight things had been, we hadn’t touched a single dollar from our savings. There are many more examples that I could give of God’s faithfulness.
This is such a tough issue for most Christians. Sometimes one partner wants to give but the other is reluctant. To husbands I would say if your wife wants to tithe but you do not, let her tithe on whatever income she brings into the home. I would say the same thing to wives about their husbands.
We have to remember that God is not capable of lying; is not possible. His promises remain true. And I believe that He really enjoys blessing us because of how it grows our faith in Him and builds up our relationship with Him.
We have to be careful not to give just for the sake of becoming prosperous as the end result. It’s not about getting rich; it’s about being obedient. God may choose to bless us in that way but His intention is to prove to us that He will provide for us – at all times and for all our basic needs. These include emotional, spiritual and relational needs as well as financial needs.
The original intention of God’s commandment to tithe was so He could take care of the needs of the priests and their families. If they did not have to worry about shelter, clothing and food for their families, then they were free to serve God and His people.
God knows our hearts. And He knows that when we give with a pure heart that He can trust us. In the midst of tough financial times He is going to take care of those who give back to Him what is His to begin with. This is how He continues the cycle of care that has been in existence since the days of the tabernacle.
I close by urging anyone reading or hearing this that is struggling financially to trust God in what He says. Try it for just 3-months with a pure heart and then watch what He does. You will be amazed at how He keeps his word. Listen again to what He says and rest in this promise:
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 you will not have room enough for it.
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