The just one’s offering enriches the altar
and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High.
The just one’s sacrifice is most pleasing,
nor will it ever be forgotten.
Why do we hold back when we sense that God is asking for something from us? Anything we have is already a gift from him anyway. Let us be generous in giving to God.
Give to the Most High as he has given to you,
generously, according to your means.
When we hold back what is it of which we are really afraid? Aren't we worried that we won't have enough left over for ourselves? Aren't we worried that if we start putting things in God's hands we won't be able to survive ourselves? But isn't this silly? Everything we have is from him. All that we are is from him.
He isn't asking for us to be reckless. He isn't asking us to just throw away the things he has given us in imprudent ways. This sort of spirit is not the giving and generosity which the LORD desires. It is a sort of bribe or an exhortation. It is something which the LORD isn't asking that we do anyway to prove a point. This isn't what he wants.
He is looking for us to pay our tithes in a spirit of joy. He wants us to offer not a bribe but a sacrifice of praise. When we give from a sincere heart he cannot be outdone in generosity. No one who does "will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age, and eternal life in the age to come."
We are afraid because of possible persecutions. We hold back because we are afraid of them. And they do in fact come. But when we truly give up everything to follow Jesus we have all we need. We say the "saving power of God."
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