The Good LifeSample

In Deuteronomy, God was teaching His people about tithing. He instructed them to give one-tenth of everything—their harvest, livestock, and wine. Then, they were to: “Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine, and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name” (Deuteronomy 14:23). In other words, they were to use a tenth to party. If God’s people lived too far away from where God dwelled to carry all of their tithes to Him, they were supposed to exchange their tithes for silver. Then, God instructed His people to: “Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice (Deuteronomy 14:26). They were to come to God’s dwelling place . . . and party. We treat so many of God’s commands like we do with eating something we don’t like, but that’s a healthy choice—we do it because we have to. But that’s not God’s heart at all. First, God provided abundantly for His people, then He commanded them to take a tenth of it and celebrate with Him, the One who provided it. That doesn’t sound like a harsh “eat your vegetables” God at all. Our God’s heart is so good and so joyful, that we often don’t understand. We underestimate His wonderfulness.