“Honor the Lord with your wealth Aandwith the first fruits of all your crops (income); [ten your barns will be abundantly filled And your vats will overflow with new wine.” – Proverbs 3:9-10 (AMP)
The Lord God who has commanded that you give your first fruits, in ways like tithe and offering in the Church or giving resources for Kingdom assignments, and honouring Him with your wealth by being compassionate to the poor and needy, and not shutting up your bowels of mercy towards them, blesses with abundant rewards for obedience. Truly, being a disciple of Christ, the reason you should give is not primarily because of the reward attached but for the love you have for the Lord which propels you to obey His instructions, there are rewards nonetheless for such acts of obedience.
In Genesis 22, after that Abraham had obeyed the instruction of the Lord to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah, God spoke extensively to him and made a covenant with him.
Genesis 22:15-18
“The Angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time [nd said, “By Myself (on the basis of Who I Am) I have sworn [an oath], declares the Lord, that since you have done this thing and have not withheld [from Me] your son, your only son [of promise], [ndeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies [by conquering them]. Through your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have heard and obeyed My voice.”
This kind of covenant and blessing could only be received by one who has not withheld what was most precious to him from the Lord. Those who give selflessly and sacrificially enter into covenants with the Lord. There are people whose generations after them will never experience certain evils because someone had been selfless in giving.
Though it is costly, giving in honour of God is rewarding and it is a lifestyle you should adopt and live by. Do not withhold from God whatever He is asking of you. God didn’t tell Abraham what the reward of his obedience was going to be but Abraham obeyed anyway and trusted the One who has blessed him with Isaac because he recognized that Isaac originally belonged to God and not to him. This is a reward anyone who lives this kind of life receives from the Lord.
Reflections: Have I received any reward for giving to the sacrificially? What covenant have I entered with the Lord by honouring Him with my resources?
Confession: The blessings of the Lord are upon my house and all that is mine because I love the Lord and I do not withhold anything from Him. I give selflessly and sacrificially and I enjoy the blessings that come with it.
Related Scripture: Genesis 22
Bible Reading: Genesis 9
