Ezekiel 48

Ezekiel 48 is the last chapter in this long book.  In this section the land is assigned.  The twelve tribes are given their inheritance or place to live.  The Temple and holy sections are described.  There is land set aside for farming – which is near and dear to my heart.  “It will supply food for the city”.  There is land set aside all the way around the temple – “a strip of pasture” which would be called green space today.  God has a plan – very detailed and exact – that meets the needs of the tribes.  He gives “the choice part of the land” to the priests and the Temple.  It isn’t what is left.  It isn’t what no one else wants.  It is right in the middle, best of the available, dedicated and large.  You heard that yesterday – 7 miles by 6 miles.  That is broken down in more detail in this chapter, but God doesn’t set aside the left overs for Himself or those who serve Him.  They have more than enough of the best.  Is God into excess?  I think not.  Nor is He into the crumbs.  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills.  He owns all the money in the universe.  He is the Great I AM.  And it is normal to assume that when He deals out the land for the city of His people – He gets first dibs.  Not out of selfishness, but out of position.  We sometimes lose that perspective.  Tithing is to come out of the first fruits of our labor, not what is left, if any.  For many of us that is how we give.  We live life and then if there happens to be anything left, we might give some to God and our church.

 

Bad answer.  God desires and deserves better from us.  The best decision I ever made for being a giver and tither was to set up automatic giving to my church of my tithe.  It comes out of my account automatically each month and requires no interaction or decision on my part.  Some may say that is a poor way to give – no personal interaction with the money.  But God put on my heart the need to do that and to interact with Him on the offering part of my giving.  The tithe should be automatic – we need to give God 10% because scripture teaches us to do that.  No questions – no decision required – just obedience.  What we give beyond that is where I think God will lead. That is where I need to be in communication with Him for direction and action.  Does God get the best of what He gives to you?  Or is it just the crumbs, if any exist.  Change this area of your life and watch what happens.  It is when we learn to give that we experience fullness of our relationship with Him and those around us.