Generosity: Until there is No More Need
“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.” Malachi 3:10 ESV
Series: Everyday Apprentice
Devotional: 10 of 13
Generosity is both a spiritual discipline and a kind of person we are becoming in Christ. More often than not, the discipline precedes the becoming. In light of our new identity in Christ, our first steps into a life of generosity often begin with a deliberate choice to approach each day intentionally.
As apprentices of Jesus, Ephesians 5:15-16 NRSV instructs each of us to, "Be careful, then, how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil." In these verses, the apostle Paul highlights the importance of intentionally walking with Christ in every area of our lives. This is certainly true in the area of generosity. On our knees in prayer, God will graciously give us the wisdom we need to steward the financial resources we have been entrusted with well.
However, for God's wisdom to take root in our day-to-day lives, we first need to address our distorted feelings about financial generosity. These feelings have, in many ways, been shaped by a world characterized by selfishness, stinginess, and greed. If we aren't careful, our feelings will often keep us stuck in our current way of living. If we wait until our feelings come into agreement with our actions to start practicing the discipline of generosity, our natural fear of not having enough will keep us from stepping out in obedience.
Malachi 3:10 ESV tells us to "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." This passage is both an invitation and a promise. It invites us to bring our tithes and offerings into God's house as an act of worship, reflecting a heart posture that prioritizes advancing His kingdom. And it's a promise that even when our feelings try to trick us into thinking that God can't be trusted, we can be confident that He will pour out blessing from Heaven upon our lives, so that we might live radically generous lives sharing His blessing with others "until there is no more need."
Today, what is one intentional step Jesus is inviting you to take in the area of generosity? A step the Holy Spirit will use, over time, to transform you more and more into the kind of person for whom generosity is a natural way of life.
OnThe3rdDay Devotionals
Devotionals that illustrate Biblical principles in a simple and short format that can be applied to your everyday life.
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