I know my writing always follows a common theme. No matter what I begin writing, I always revolve back to writing about God and His place in my life. Some of you may be sick of it. Some of you may need it. Some of you may not believe any of it. For those people, I write. I write about God and my Christian walk because that is the only thing that matters. That’s it.
I also write about it because it keeps me accountable and aware. It is oh so easy to simply forget to follow God. It’s easy to get selfish. It’s easy to forget to love. Tonight I am going to open up again about something that, you guessed it, God laid on my heart.
At the beginning of the year, my church, Emmanuel Church of Greenwood (awesome church by the way, if you need one, GO THERE) embarked on a tithe challenge. Our pastor Danny Anderson simply challenged us to commit to tithing 10% each month until May. I listened to that message and said, “piece of cake, I can do that.” So I filled out my commitment card.
Here I am, 6 months later, and I have not tithed a penny. I simply, ignore the offering plate. I know this is personal. I know money is never comfortable to talk about. I know this. But it’s the truth. Why haven’t I tithed? Because I got scared. Not just scared, downright selfish. I calculated and realized just how much 10% was and said, “No way God, I can’t do that!” But I could have. I easily could have. I didn’t have to buy all new summer clothes, but I did. I didn’t have to buy expensive shoes, but I did. I didn’t have to pay for TruGreen so I could have a beautiful lawn, but I did. It was my money right. I worked so hard for it. Right?
The answer is, and always will be, NO! It is not my money. Not one cent of it is mine. It is God’s money. ALL OF IT. It’s not like I don’t know this. Pastor Danny preaches it. I read about it. It’s in the Bible. I’ve heard it countless times. But, I selfishly said, “Nope, God, you can’t have MY money.” What the heck is wrong with me? Am I incapable of learning this fact?
So, I’m sitting here with 9 and 1/2 hours until church, praying that I will be able to realize that I can tithe tomorrow. I can give God His money. I don’t have a lot right now. Our mortgage is due, cable is due, phone bills are due. But my tithe is over-due. There is one thing that we are allowed to test God on. One, out of the entire Bible. . He says in Malachi 3:10, “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.”
Okay, God, I may be 6 months late, but I’m finally getting it. Thanks for not giving up on me, yet again.
