Christian Living

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TEST ME IN THIS, TOO!

Throughout the Bible there has been a subject that warrants a great deal of attention. Jesus revisits this Old Testament thought during His days in the wilderness with the devil. He said, “It is written, do not test the Lord your God…” What a true and sobering statement. Because in reality, who are we to test the almighty God? He is under no obligation to comply with our demands, nor will He tolerate our petty inquiries to satisfy our misconceptions of His abilities. He will not entertain our finite evaluation of His infinite power…except for one area.

The often quoted verse of Malachi 3:10, shows God doing something that is never seen anywhere else in scripture. Here He creates an exception to His Rule. He speaks to the people and directly says, “Test me in this…” What a profound concept. What an open invitation. What a bold challenge, with an amazing promise.

I have always wondered why The Lord chose this action of tithing to be the only area where He will allow Himself to be tested by mere men. As I thought about it, I remembered David’s story in 2Samuel 24, as he tries to buy a local farmer's piece of land in order to build an altar to make sacrifices to the Lord. The farmer loved and respected David and was willing to simply give him his land as well as the required animals for the sacrifice. But David, in his honorable way replied, “I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing".

David was not willing to give to the Lord something that was not his. If he had not purchased the land and the animals for the sacrifice, it would’ve been as if the farmer made the sacrifice and not him. Additionally, he was well within his rights as the king to simply take the piece of land. Not only that, but in his wealth, David could’ve given a piece of property and animals that were already his, not having to make any further purchases for something that he probably already had. Yet David saw “his loss” as a prerequisite for offering to God, since essentially, that is what a sacrifice is. In this short passage we begin to see that there is a relationship between the person and his offerings to God.

God allows Himself to be tested because in the expressed action of testing God, we are also giving of ourselves. We create a sort of economy with God. The Lord Almighty will certainly not dance like a fool to our choice of songs, per se, but it’s as if He will tolerate it in an area where we will be dancing together with Him.

In the concept of tithing, we are giving that which costs us something. It’s not always easy, not always comfortable, and it doesn’t always happen as faithfully as it should. But then again there in lies the connection. In testing God, we test ourselves. As we give from our limitations, God in turn gives from His abundance. It’s as if God was saying, “you’re going to have to pay for the opportunity to test me”. And if take up the challenge to “pay”, we get the reward of having had the opportunity to have tested the Almighty God.

God will not be mocked. He is not a genie in a dirty old bottle that is bound to do as we command. Nor is He a butler, constantly waiting to fulfill our endless needs and requests. He is the God of the universe-powerful, sovereign, and mighty. We exist for His pleasure, not the other way around. He will not be tested, except in one area. And interestingly enough it is one where we also must give something of ourselves – that which costs us something.

God Bless
March M. Villareal
[email protected]
www.manswicked.com

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