Corona Devo 378

Are we giving the Lord our best portion?  

It's a bit convicting to get serious about answering that one. 

Am I giving the Lord the best portion of myself, my gifts, my finances, and my heart?

He deserves our best portion, and He actually asks us for it too.  

The Lord also told Moses, (26) “Give these instructions to the Levites: When you receive from the people of Israel the tithes I have assigned as your allotment, give a tenth of the tithes you receive—a tithe of the tithe—to the Lord as a sacred offering. (27) The Lord will consider this offering to be your harvest offering, as though it were the first grain from your own threshing floor or wine from your own winepress. (28) You must present one-tenth of the tithe received from the Israelites as a sacred offering to the Lord. This is the Lord’s sacred portion, and you must present it to Aaron the priest. (29) Be sure to give to the Lord the best portions of the gifts given to you.

(30) “Also, give these instructions to the Levites: When you present the best part as your offering, it will be considered as though it came from your own threshing floor or winepress... (32) You will not be considered guilty for accepting the Lord’s tithes if you give the best portion to the priests. But be careful not to treat the holy gifts of the people of Israel as though they were common.”  ~Numbers 18:25-30, 32

God spoke these verses to the Levites, one of the 12 tribes of Israel, who were put in charge of carrying out duties related to worship and church, which included managing the tithes that people brought in for the Lord.

Our "tithe" today is Biblically prescribed (as it was for the ancient Israelites) as giving a tenth of our income or bounty.  The Levites "worked" for "the church", so they didn't get a paycheck...but God allowed them a portion of people's tithes.  It "makes sense" that God still expected them to tithe, because they were receiving other people's "tithes" as provision, and God even said that He would accept the tithe of the Levites as if they had grown/harvested/produced it themselves.    

I hope I haven't lost you!  And I hope you can make the jump to apply this to us today.  The Bible tells us to tithe of our income and bounty to the Lord, and to Be sure to give to the Lord the best portions of the gifts given to you. (Numbers 18:29).

SIDENOTE: Why does God require a tithe?  Because the money, provisions and stuff that we acquire are usually what hold our hearts captive and prevent us from going deeper with God.  Plus, God is holy!  He deserves the best portion of our provision because He is the Giver of all good things and He provided it to us.  The tithe is not a money thing, it is a heart thing.  

It is our heart/our dedication/and our obedience in giving to the Lord that He is concerned with, and God calls us to be our best, and to serve Him with our best.  Be sure to give to the Lord the best portions of the gifts given to you. (Numbers 18:29).  

The main point is to put God first (give to the Lord the best portions) in our tithes and our lives.  Whether that is the gift (tithe) of our time (set the alarm a few minutes earlier to read His Word!), our money and goods, or our self (is my attitude a gift to God?  Is my work-ethic a gift to Him?  Are my words a gift to Him? etc.).

It's a lot of talk about provision, money, giving and tithing.  But what if we are running on empty--financially and spiritually speaking?  What if the money is short and the month is long?  What if my hope is dry and yet the rainstorms of life keep pounding on me and my parade?  

I found a nugget of truth, hope, and provision from God a few sentences before the verses we read above.  God was addressing the Levites' situation of having to pretty much "live" at the church, and also that their "pay" would not be earned in a traditional way.  But God reminded them, and He reminds us today that He is enough:

And the Lord said to Aaron, “You priests will receive no allotment of land or share of property among the people of Israel.  I am your share and your allotment.  ~Numbers 18:20

I am your share and your allotment.  ~Numbers 18:20

Breathe that in.  Inhale those seven words and exhale those seven words.

I am your share and your allotment.  ~Numbers 18:20

Lord, soften our hearts in understanding what it means to "tithe" to Youwith our income and our lives.

I am your share and your allotment.  ~Numbers 18:20

Father, allow my spiritual eyes to be opened wide enough to see You as my Provider of everything.

I am your share and your allotment.  ~Numbers 18:20

King of Kings, we praise You this day for being our share and our allotment.

Amen.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com 

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