A Flood of Blessings

The commitment to study God’s Word is one of the most significant decisions we will ever make. His Word discloses the rewards of living an authentic and generous life. When we understand that the world and everything in it belongs to God, we can grasp our roles as ambassadors and administrators of God’s creation.

Using a metaphor of floodgates, God implies that when we give, he pulls open the levers of heaven and allows spiritual blessings to rain down in our lives. When he sees us being generous, it’s like he waves to the angels in heaven and signals, “Send my generous people more.” It is comforting to know he doesn’t stop with a small handful of blessings; instead, he is a “one hundred times more than you ask, think, or imagine” kind of Father.

In his teachings, Jesus didn’t emphasize how much one should earn but how faithful one should be in stewarding what they have. Jesus also compared handling our money to managing our spiritual lives.

During my study time, I have researched Scripture verses that emphasize the principles of financial stewardship. One of the most intriguing verses on the subject is found in the third chapter of Malachi. This verse is more than an inspirational idiom. It throws the gauntlet on the ground and challenges us to test the Lord with our giving. In other words, the Lord double-dared his people to test him with their giving. When reading verse 10, you can almost hear God boasting about his goodness as if he is loudly chanting this mantra and challenging us to partake of his riches.

When our motivation for giving is rooted in righteousness, God will continue to bless us. He will never shortchange those who seek first the kingdom of God. When we commit to partnering with God on the earth, he is swift to open the windows of heaven. I believe that God blesses us to be a blessing to others as well as to dispense seed rather than hoarding it.

I’ve often wondered what would happen if all the millionaires, billionaires, and massively profitable organizations on the planet gave a few trillion dollars to the cause. Wouldn’t it be nice to feed, clothe, and provide shelter to every person on planet Earth? Our giving brings God joy. What an awesome feeling to bring joy to others. I pray the Lord will motivate us to be joy-givers.