Session 18

What happens when we tithe

From Numbers: A 5-Week Devotional

God provided for the Levites in a different way than he provided for other tribes. Instead of giving them a portion of the promised land, God chose to provide for them through the church. Because they did not own land, the Levites’ income was purely a result of offerings given to the church. God instructed them to treat this income just as He teaches us to treat our income, by giving the first 10 percent back to Him.

This principle is still relevant to us today. All of our financial blessings come from the Lord, and when we tithe to the church, we’re giving the first 10 percent back to Him.

God promised to provide for the Levites, and He promises to provide for us, too.

We can’t always see how God will provide for us. When your account balance is barely in the black, it’s easy to question if God will really provide. But our circumstances do not change God’s faithfulness or His promises. We can trust Him even when it doesn’t seem to make sense.

Tithing is not just a command, it is a gift within an instruction. God promises that when we tithe, He will not only provide for us but will also bless us immensely. God doesn’t want to take from us; He wants to bless us.

Deuteronomy 15:10 says when we give generously, God blesses our work. And in Malachi 3:10, God Himself tells us to put tithing to the test and see if He won’t pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

As we partner with God in ministry and trust Him for our provision, we experience His presence and faithfulness in ways we didn’t before. And that experience of God’s presence brings the biggest blessing of all  — the deep and lasting peace of knowing we can trust God with everything.

Reflect:

• Do you trust God to provide for you?
• Do you manage your money like it’s a gift from God?
• Is there a particularly uncertain area in your life where you can choose to trust God’s promises?