Test Me in This
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in
my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will
not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing
that there will not be room enough to store it.” (Malachi 3:10, NIV)
Few things prompt as much debate as the issue of tithing. Should
the Christian today tithe? Is the ten percent a requirement? One
thing I’ve noticed in this discussion: those who support tithing,
tithe. Those who do not support tithing, do not tithe. It seems we
have reduced the conversation to personal preferences. I think we
can do better than this.
The passage from Malachi is, in a sense, a challenge from God
regarding tithing. “Test me in this,” with tithing being “this.” In
Old Testament times, the tithe was clearly in force and yet people
still struggled against it. God put down this gauntlet, challenging
the people to give the whole tithe and then watch how He would
respond. He promised that tithe given freely opens the floodgates
of heaven and pours out great blessing.
We can argue about the tithe being in force today or not, but
the real issue is that this challenge from the Lord is certainly still
active. Who would not want to receive blessing from above in such
measure that there is not enough room to store it? Would we not
want to see our tithes open the floodgates of heaven?
My friend Barry Cameron says that the tithe is not the finishing
line but the starting line for the Christian. I think that’s a great way
of looking at it. Start at ten percent and then begin to increase that
percentage through the years and watch how the Lord blesses. God
invites you to test Him!
Prayer Points
• Ask the Lord about tithing—and then listen carefully with your
heart.
• Pray about where you should direct your tithe, recognizing the
local church is typically the recipient.
My Prayer
Lord, thank You for Your generosity! I am so grateful. Thank You for
this challenge to tithe. I want this to be a good beginning place for
me as I learn to give back to You. May I continue to grow in giving
way beyond the tithe. Help me to keep my eyes on You as I watch
how You open the storehouse of heaven in response to my tithe.
Excerpted from “The Giving Church” by Dave Butts, and is used by permission of PrayerShop Publishing.