Are You Delinquent?
Are you delinquent?
This quarter, the Sabbath school is about tithing. The word tithe is Old English for tenth.
The first tithe made in the bible happened in Genesis 14:19-20. The first person to do so in the bible was Abram. Abram returned from battle and was met by Melchizedek. During their encounter Melchizedek attributes Abram’s victory to God and he blesses Abram. Abram responds to the blessing in gratitude and gives Melchizedek a tenth of all his possessions.
Jacob offers the second tithe as recorded in the Bible. In Genesis 28:20–22 Jacob responds to a dream he received from God by building an altar and vowing that, in exchange for God’s care and provision, he would give God a tenth of his belongings.
Tithing began before the Mosaic covenant and has not been ended at all. Jesus also upheld the tithe.
Okay so that’s the tenth of your increase, or your income.
I was listening to an old sermon on tithing, preached by Billy Graham. He spoke about the tenth of your money, but he also spoke on another tithe.
A tenth of your time.
That really made me think. How much TIME do I give to God? How much is a tenth of my time anyway?
Well, if you subtract 8 hours from a day for sleep, you get 16. A tenth of that is 1.6 hours. Over 7 days that’s 11.2 hours.
Do you just come to worship service on Sabbath and spend your hour and a half, or include Sabbath school for a total of three and a half hours, then go back to doing whatever you feel like, or do you spend the day with the Lord and turn your foot away from your own desires?
Do you spend time with the Father during the other six days a week, in prayer, devotionals, and personal Bible study, or is He only a part of your life on the Sabbath? Do you take any time to serve others as He has asked us?
Or do you spend your time watching sports, on social media, shopping, etc. or even letting your job push you around when you are off the clock, and not thinking about the One Who made you? Is your time suddenly just gone and you don’t feel like you accomplished anything that day?
These are things I reviewed for myself and made changes in my own life. In the process I’ve also learned more about my Lord and Savior, about myself, and am filled with peace and contentment.
I urge you to give a tithe of your time to God. You will be blessed.