Malachi 3:10

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

When events don’t live up to our expectations, we experience disappointment. And if that disappointment continues long-term, we can subtly descend into discouragement and despair. And when that happens, we can be tempted to disregard our beliefs and develop unhealthy—even sinful—habits.

That’s essentially the scenario for God’s people at the time of the prophet Malachi. The Israelites were back in their homeland after the Babylonian exile, but they were still under Persian domination, and they faced hard times. Harvests were meager. Hope was in short supply. And so the people began to cut corners. Among other things, they stopped giving to God.

Through Malachi God declared his faithfulness and instructed his covenant people to be faithful, too. They needed to keep trusting God and keep doing right even when obedience didn’t seem to make sense.

The promise? In so many words: “Watch how I will bless you when you are generous with the material blessings I give you.”

Will we trust that promise today? Will we give gladly and sacrificially to the work of God?

GOD’S PROMISE TO ME:

• If you obey me in the area of giving, I will more than meet your needs.

MY PRAYER TO GOD:

God, all that I have comes from you. All that I have belongs to you. Develop my faith and make me generous. I am never more like you than when I give. Amen.