A Reason To Give In Worship
"After the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as He promised . . . you are to give over to the LORD the first offspring of every womb.
. . . In days to come, when your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' say to him, 'With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.'
And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with His mighty hand."
Exodus 13:11-16
. . . In days to come, when your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' say to him, 'With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.'
And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with His mighty hand."
Exodus 13:11-16
God delivered the Hebrews out by visiting several plagues on the Egyptians. The killing of the firstborn son of every human and animal was of eternal significance. It broke the back of Pharaoh and caused him to acknowledge the mighty power of Yahweh.
God made a distinction between the Israelites and Egyptians by sparing their own sons. The LORD then asked the Israelites to give him the firstborn males of every womb from that point on. This was to remind them of how God had graciously dealt with them in Egypt.
God was aware that future generations, not privy to the experience of the redemption from Egypt, would have questions about worship and giving of the firstborn males to God. He prepared them with an answer, "When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed the firstborn both of people and animals . . . This is why I sacrifice to the LORD."
Without a heartfelt reason behind our worship, there will be neither commitment, passion, nor joy to it. We will either refuse to worship or at best worship grudgingly.
When our worship is based upon God's goodness to us; when our worship is informed by the fact that God shed the Blood of His firstborn Son to save our lives; when our worship is informed by the fact that God brought us into a spacious land flowing with milk and honey; when our worship is informed by the fact that it is Yahweh who gives us breath and the ability to work and obtain wealth, we will have no reason to worship God grudgingly. We will have no reason to be compelled to give of our Time, Talents and Treasures to the God who redeemed us and continues to graciously sustain us. Giving worship to God will be a cheerful experience.
So what is the basis of your worship and giving? Is it out of love and appreciation for what God has done for you? If so, then grudging worship and giving should never be part of your being!
God made a distinction between the Israelites and Egyptians by sparing their own sons. The LORD then asked the Israelites to give him the firstborn males of every womb from that point on. This was to remind them of how God had graciously dealt with them in Egypt.
God was aware that future generations, not privy to the experience of the redemption from Egypt, would have questions about worship and giving of the firstborn males to God. He prepared them with an answer, "When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed the firstborn both of people and animals . . . This is why I sacrifice to the LORD."
Without a heartfelt reason behind our worship, there will be neither commitment, passion, nor joy to it. We will either refuse to worship or at best worship grudgingly.
When our worship is based upon God's goodness to us; when our worship is informed by the fact that God shed the Blood of His firstborn Son to save our lives; when our worship is informed by the fact that God brought us into a spacious land flowing with milk and honey; when our worship is informed by the fact that it is Yahweh who gives us breath and the ability to work and obtain wealth, we will have no reason to worship God grudgingly. We will have no reason to be compelled to give of our Time, Talents and Treasures to the God who redeemed us and continues to graciously sustain us. Giving worship to God will be a cheerful experience.
So what is the basis of your worship and giving? Is it out of love and appreciation for what God has done for you? If so, then grudging worship and giving should never be part of your being!
Prayer: LORD, please forgive me for any ingratitude. Help me to worship and give to You with joy and meaning. Amen.