Chasing Wisdom Proverbs 3: 9-12

Day Three

⁹ Honor the Lord with your wealth,
    with the firstfruits of all your crops;
¹⁰ then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
    and your vats will brim over with new wine.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not resent his rebuke,
¹² because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
    as a father the son he delights in.^[b]

Promises: then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
    and your vats will brim over with new wine.

The statistics on tithing in our country are meager and depressing. In a world of keeping up and instant gratification, money and time are priceless commodities that we do not part with easily, at least in the favor of the Lord. I know that we all know that everything we have comes from Him, every good thing is from the Lord. So, why is it so hard to give our first fruits back to Him.  I think this ties into yesterdays reading – Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Tithing is a trust issue. If you give it away, will you have enough to pay the bills? Will there be enough to feed the kids.  I cant tell anyone what to do, or how to handle finances, but I think Trust is at the heart of this issue.  Do you trust the Lord to tithe for one week? Maybe start there….then add two weeks and see what happens.  I think God will blow all of our socks off as we meet Him in holy obedience in the ordinary.  He promises that our barns will be filled to overflowing and our vats will brim over with new wine…this is the promise of God---He will provide an abundance. I don’t think we should tithe with the thought of cashing in on the good nature of God, investing in Him in hopes of getting a higher return….no, I think our hearts have missed the point here.  I think it is about humility and gratefulness that we give back to the Lord what He has blessed us with.  It is a humble contrite heart that tithes and gives to the Lord- not a manipulative one.

The next part of our verses I love- Do not despise the Lord’s discipline.  Every moment is a teachable moment if we allow it to be. I believe that the Lord loves me to much to leave me where I am, He wants me Holy----not necessarily happy.  Every moment, every difficult person, every hard lesson, every rift in my spirit and peace ----is a place for me to examine – ME. Not a place to lay blame and point the fingers at others.  IF something is going on,, where is the Lord looking to grow – ME?  He loves us so much that He affords us countless opportunities to loose more of ourselves with every “difficult” situation we face. Rather than focus on others- I focus on me and ask Him, “What am I to learn here Lord?”  Difficult people are here to sharpen and expose triggers in self. Situations are a place to grow in faith. Unanswered prayers are and opportunity to pray without ceasing.  I believe that nothing is wasted by God, and as I walk out my life---He provides so many places for me to grow…that sow driver and the slow cashier ----thank you God for allowing me practice at patience, sprinkled heavily with mercy.  Every moment we are to trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding.  Let’s all agree to find Him in our moments, not just in our quiet time in the morning, or on Sunday mornings.  Let’s tune into His frequency moment by moment so that we don’t miss a chance to grow in Him and share Him with the world!