Have you ever invested in the “next big thing”, or made a decision based on a “hot stock tip”? If I ever want to, my e-mail spam folder has a lot of suggestions! The reality is, though, none of us know for sure everything that is going to happen tomorrow, much less next year or 10 years from now. Any friend or scammer who says otherwise is – at best – trying to predict things as best as they can, and – at worst – just trying to get your money.
Picking up from the previous article, let’s take another look at Malachi 3:8-12. While the previous article looked at the “robbery” that happened when people – both then and now – didn’t use their blessings from God in the way that He had asked them to, let’s consider what happens when we do follow God’s directions for using what He’s given us (i.e., what He’s allocated from His creation for us to manage). When we, as stewards – or “fund managers” – follow His perfect instructions for managing His wealth, what happens?
“Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’
“In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 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 there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the LORD Almighty. “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty.
Malachi 3:8-12 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/mal.3.8-12.NIV
Of course, let’s not forget that God doesn’t need our money or our stuff so that He can own it. He can literally create what He chooses to from nothing.
However, He directs us to apply what He has entrusted with us for various purposes, according to His plan. Now, you’ve probably heard enough sermons about money to know the details, but just considering money given to a church or other faith-based ministry, let me put some of God’s purposes for those gifts (tithes, offerings, etc.) into my own words:
- God uses money given to the church for ministry. Some of this financially supports people who give up earning money in the marketplace, in exchange for a job in ministry. Other tithes and offerings that we give to the church go to serve others in Jesus’ name, reaching out to those who not only need the good news about Jesus, but also some tangible, material help along the way. Even buildings that are used for furthering God’s kingdom cost labor, parts, and utilities to maintain.
- God also uses money given to the church to remind us of who He is. When we give, we remember that He is sovereign, that He is our Lord, and that He chooses to have us love and serve others. God could literally make money fall out of the sky, but He loves us enough to help us keep our own hearts in line – keeping our selfish nature in check. Part of how we achieve this is by trusting Him enough to follow His instructions on how to use His money, His possessions, and His blessings.
And, while the Israelite people in Malachi’s day were holding back and not following God’s instructions, they were cursed. Conversely, if they were to return to following God’s commands about what to do with their tithes and offerings, the promised blessings were downright overwhelming. Not only would the people have enough food, but God would intervene in protecting their crops and they would be viewed more favorably by other nations.
I like how the Lookout (a study guide cited below) put it, “God finds his own ways to bless those with thoughtful offerings.” Don’t limit Him by only looking for His blessings where you expect them!
Some sermons focus on the blessings that we receive when we put God first in our lives, including in our giving of money. While those should be results of our yielding to God’s superior wisdom and authority, rather than a reason we choose to do so in the first place, I wonder if we’ve allowed even this lesson from Malachi to be too much about money, though, and missed the facts that 1) God loves us, 2) He has all that we need, and 3 He both knows and wants what is good for us.
The fact is, God is ready to take care of us, but sometimes we need to get out of His way. Like the people in Malachi’s day, we may need to become more obedient and trusting first, in order to eliminate the need for God to continue disciplining us. I’m confident, though, that when we put Him first in our lives, the results of following Him (rather than our own ideas) are going to be a lot better in the long run than the alternatives.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for August 18, 2024
References:
- The Lookout, August, 2024, © 2024 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Minor Prophets Vol. 2 Nahum-Malachi, by Mark Allen Hahlen and Clay Alan Ham. © 2006 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 