In Malachi, the people have had to take a hard look at themselves as a group and individuals. They have had to take inventory of what they had and had not done. In Malachi 3, God points out that the people had been robbing him and each other. God specifically calls the people out for withholding their tithes from their first fruits. God had made a covenant with Israel. They were to obey him, and He would bless them. However, Israel’s disobedience was costly.
God has also made a covenant with you and me. We are to be faithful and obedient to God. I know this year has been a tough one, and the temptation might be to look at your finances and see where you can cut back. We think, “I can miss my tithe; no one will notice.” My encouragement for you is to not fall into the trap I have fallen into before when time and finances got tough. I made the mistake of saying that God would understand if I held onto His portion of what He gave me. When I would do this, my money would alway run short. On the other hand, when I was faithful and tithed, like God called me to do, He alway made my finances work out just right.
When times get tough are you going to be faithful and obedient to follow God? Or are you going to follow your own path?
VC Devotionals 