Why Do You Give?

Psalm 62:9-12 The Message

⁹ Man as such is smoke,    woman as such, a mirage.
Put them together, they’re nothing;    two times nothing is nothing.

¹⁰ And a windfall, if it comes—    don’t make too much of it.

¹¹ God said this once and for all;    how many times
Have I heard it repeated?    “Strength comes
Straight from God.”

¹² Love to you, Lord God!    You pay a fair wage for a good day’s work!

I remember when Steve and I were first married, life immediately changed.  It was so strange to now live life with someone.  We were now supposed to make decisions together. I loved being able to share my life and its responsibilities with Steve.

One of the first decisions we made together was the decision to tithe.  Being a good steward of what God gave was important to us.  We were already on a good path with our time and talents.  We loved serving God in the church and outside the church.  But we had not yet tithed our treasures.

Why was tithing important to us?  It was not to impress man. Psalm 62 says, “Man as such is smoke”  No, we decided to tithe because we loved God.  The Psalm also says, “Strength comes straight from God.”

Steve and I had an understanding right from the beginning that what we have comes from God, and we find it an honor to return those gifts right back to him.

Why do you give?  It is an important question to ask. Giving shouldn't be a burden but a blessing given with a joyful heart.  That does not mean it won't be a sacrifice. Anything good cost us.  But the price is worth it when we think of all God has done for us and what he wants to do with our giving.

Life

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NIV) 
This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

We have a choice when it comes to our future.  We have a choice regarding what tomorrow will look like.  We have a choice whether to follow the trail that is brightly lit or to go down a path we know to be perilous and poorly lit.

Moses challenged Israel to choose life, to obey God, and therefore to continue to experience his blessings. God doesn't force his will on anyone. He lets us decide whether to follow him or reject him. This decision, however, is a life-or-death matter. God wants us to realize this, for he would like us all to choose life. Daily, in each new situation, we must affirm and reinforce this commitment.

We have a responsibility not only to ourselves but to our children, to make the right decisions.  We have choices to make every day; some are easy while others require planning and discernment.  When we have a close relationship with God, calling on Him every day, walking with Him constantly, there will be grace available to us to make wise choices.