Your Offering

It’s time to pass the plate! It always seems to be the most awkward part of not just any church service, but of any part of life; it’s not easy to ask for money. How are you with the offering plate? Do you tithe faithfully? Do you give with a joyful heart? What if God is more interested in your devotion than the money you posses?

“I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.” (Amos 5:21-24)

Notice, God says “instead.” Instead means as an alternative or substitute. So an alternative to show and pretense, God would have us live righteously. God goes on to explain why He is saying these things to the people of Israel in the next two verses.

“‘Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, Israel? No, you served your pagan gods—Sakkuth your king god and Kaiwan your star god—the images you made for yourselves.’” (Amos 5:25-26)

At this time, the people of Israel were torn between worshipping God and worshipping idols. They were not totally devoted to either, so instead they worshipped both when it suited them. Because they were not totally devoted to God but were instead serving/worshipping other gods, God hated what He called their “pretense.” Their worship and offerings were not pleasing to God because they were not devoted to Him.

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” (Romans 12:1)

These offerings and religious festivals were not pleasing to God because of how the people were living. It’s the same for us; if we live Monday-Saturday worshipping the god of work or money or entertainment or gossip or anger, why would we expect our Sunday show to be pleasing to God? Our God is a jealous God and He longs for His people to put Him above all other things. When we put Him first and when our lives are in alignment with how God instructs us to live, our offerings and worship are pleasing to Him. It is first our lives that are the offerings, then the rest will follow. It’s not that God doesn’t want you to tithe, He is just far more interested in you as a living sacrifice than in the money you possess. In fact, tithing is the only area in the Bible in which God gives us permission to test Him.

“‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!’” (Malachi 3:10)

“You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. ‘For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.’” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

So how are you with offering? Are you a living sacrifice that is pleasing to the Lord? When the offering tray is passed in church, do you turn over the money that already belongs to God with a cheerful heart? Are there things getting in the way of your full devotion to the Lord? Do any other gods compete with Jehovah in your life? Are you still struggling with unconfessed sin, sin you haven’t repented of? Turn it all over to Him. Give up the pursuit of the things of this world and pursue righteous living. Let your life be a living sacrifice to the Lord!

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.