Honouring the Lord

There are many physical scientific laws which govern the physical universe. Gravity, for example, keeps our feet firmly on the ground and makes things feel heavy. If you drop something it will always fall downwards. This is the fundamental law which holds our universe together and keeps our planet in place going round the sun, and the moon in place going round the Earth. We all know the importance of respecting God’s physical laws and are careful not to fall off the edge of a building or a cliff, for we know that if we do we will come to harm.

But, in addition to all the physical laws that scientists have discovered, there are spiritual laws which exist within God’s spiritual universe which God has shared with us in His Word. And if we ignore those spiritual laws then there will also be consequences. Knowledge of God’s spiritual laws was intended to be a blessing for us. For, if we choose to do those things that God has told us not to do, such as worship idols or commit adultery, then we are putting ourselves outside of God’s protection and that would be dangerous. And if we don’t do the things that God has told us to do, such as honour our father and our mother, then we will miss out on the many blessings that result from honouring one’s parents. And our Scripture for today highlights one of those spiritual laws through which God would want to bless us – honouring the Lord with our wealth.

To honour God means to worship Him. We worship , for example, by giving of our time, by listening to His voice, doing those things that please Him, and singing His praises. And one of the spiritual laws that is intrinsic to our relationship with God is that when we honour Him He chooses to bless us. If you read Deuteronomy 28:1-14, you will see some of the many ways God chose to bless His people when they honoured Him with their obedience.

And part of honouring God is to give to Him the firstfruits of whatever the Lord leads us to do, to bring to him our tithes and offerings and to give, with a thankful heart, when the Lord prompts us to share what he has given us with others. That is worship. And as we worship, the Lord chooses to pour back upon us His blessings. We do not give to God so that we will get a reward – that is the selfish deception of what is sometimes called the ‘prosperity Gospel’ – but when we give to Him because we love Him and want to worship Him, then God has promised that we will know His blessings in our lives. For, as Paul expressed it so powerfully, “My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19)

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for the amazing promises that are in Your Word. Forgive me, Lord, for the times when I have with-held from You my worship of giving. Help me, I pray, to learn how to honour You with everything You have given me, so that my giving may be a blessing to others and to You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.