We’ve all heard it: God wants your time, talent, and treasures. That statement has always felt to many of us that the emphasis was more or mostly on our “treasure” (read: money). But as today’s reading makes clear, God wants us to give portions back that cover far more than monetary giving.

Ultimately today’s reading is about living life together, and not only that...it’s about living life together and feasting before God. Amy and I were richly blessed by today’s passage after really thinking through it. We’ll jump right in and cover some new angles we saw in our Father in Heaven -- and some questions we asked ourselves -- after we pondered this passage for days. Let us meditate together.

[Deuteronomy 14.22-29]

Tithes

22 Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. 23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always. 24 But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the Lord your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the Lord will choose to put his Name is so far away), 25 then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the Lord your God will choose. 26 Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice. 27 And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.

28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ Vv. 22 and 23 advocate setting aside the best of the best...and then consuming them before (with) God? What does this tell you about God’s nature?

+ Vv. 24-26 cover selling the tithe and converting it to money if the load of your tithe is too much to carry to God’s chosen place...and then converting it back to food -- what does this make clear to you?

+ V. 26 talks about a variety of meat and also wine, fermented drink and other things that people wanted to eat or drink in sober-minded pleasure. What does this say about our Father? Is He someone who not only delights in our work but wants intimacy with us during our celebrations of Him, in our joy, and in our reveling too?

+ Vv. 28 and 29 cover taking a whole year’s worth of this tithe and giving it to those who have little. Downtown Hope has taken whole offerings and directed them for these purposes. To us, this is evidence that God’s Spirit -- the same yesterday, today and forever, is at work in our Church. Agree? Disagree? How can we bring this on in greater measure?

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ Today’s passage was amazing. We saw new angles of God desiring intimacy with us and portions of the fruits of our work. It’s important to know that we are not under Mosaic law and we are under a law of grace where the Spirit of Christ should abound and direct our hearts. Are there any areas with regards to food that you can devote to tithing to the Lord? Work is also inextricably linked here as many people during this age farmed, so God was having them enjoy the fruits of their labor with Him -- so, how about your work? Can you take a tenth or more of your work hours available during a given period, and offer them up to the Lord? You could use them for the church, for the poor, etc. What other ways can you think of to bring tithe to the Lord?

+ It’s well-established that we are supposed to band together to build up the church we call our home church. If you’ve read the Scriptural evidence and agree on a percent, that’s okay (though Scripture in the OT would point to closer to 20% than 10%). If you don’t believe that is mandated and we are under the New Covenant, that’s okay too. But the end result is the same -- out of the overflow of what we have, we should listen to the Spirit of Christ in us and give past our “comfort level” for the building up of the Bride (this could be far more than 10% or 20% based on what God has given to you first).

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?