God provides everything we need. He blesses us. He answers our prayers. This isn’t conditional on tithes, but to show our love and gratitude, we should do our part in this relationship by giving generously. This IS important to God, as we see in Genesis 4:3-5.
Cain brought an offering to the Lord, which is definitely better than nothing at all! But God knew he could do better. Abel also brought an offering. His first and his best. He didn’t feed himself and his family and then offer the tough meat or leftovers. He wasn’t selfish, and he didn’t hold back. This pleased God and made Cain jealous and angry. Instead of learning from this – that he was being selfish, Cain looked at it as being treated wrong or unfairly.
The most important message in this part of the story is that we not only need to give, but we need to give generously. And first. When I get paid, I need to first set aside my tithes and offerings, before I spend a penny on myself. That car payment, that cable bill… Those should never come before God!
The mortgage company does not have the power to bless your finances.
– Pastor Robert Morris
The same goes for my time. If I’ve spent the whole day without giving God a single minute of my time until I crawl into bed tired, with a quick prayer – then I know that my priorities are completely off.
When I need to get my priorities straight, I will pray:
Dear God, Thank You so much for providing me with a life full of blessings. When I feel like there’s not enough time for everything, please help me to pause and assess my priorities, because I always want you at the top of my list.
Amen
Today’s Scripture:
Genesis 4:1-7
1 Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
I Once Was Lost 