It’s cliche to say that we’re blessed with great wealth as Americans. But it’s still true.
We’ve heard a couple of sermons over the last several years on Malachi 3, in which Yahweh proclaims:
Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
By refusing to give back to God what it His, we rob Him. And greater still, He invites us to test His promise: give, and He will pour out blessings on us.
Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen a pretty terrible recession. But I’ve noticed that it’s really starting to hit the churches, missionaries, and ministries closest to us. We’ve seen them ask, or plead, for extra support in these times.
So, consider this a gentle word of encouragement. Give. We’ve seen great blessings from the missionaries we support working with InterVarsity, WorldVenture, and Wycliffe, and from crisis pregnancy centers in Chicago, South Bend, and St. Louis.
I’m sure churches, missionaries, and ministries get a little tired of pleading for money, over and over, and experiencing the frustration from pleas so often (apparently) falling on deaf ears. But if you’re blessed with the resources to do so, give.
My little sermon of the year for the blog.