Wow, today marks the third day in a row that I blog. Of course yesterday was Sunday, and even God rested on Sunday. On my drive to work this morning, I thought about what to write on angchronicles. And an encounter with God came to mind.
I don’t know about you, but tithing is extremely important to me. I’ve spent years battling how to balance paying tithes and catching up on bills. I try to follow the Old Testament rule of 10 percent of my first fruits and the modern rule: increase to 12 percent. Then one day in my reading, and I don’t know which scripture or sermon, I realized my tithing technique was comparable to the laws of the Pharisees. My giving based on the law, not from the heart.I’d find myself on a tighter budget than expected, (You know, those unexpected expenditures.) and cut my tithe in half. Or begrudge my offering.
One Sunday, the offering plate passed me for the second time, and my girlfriend reached in her purse and put in all her change.
“It’s all I have today,” she said.
Hmm, I thought. I had about $30 in my wallet, which had to last for two weeks. How could I possibly, reach into my purse a second time. But I did.
The week that followed included, unexpected discounts and free items causing me not to dip into my wallet. In addition, an unexpected writing assignment.
My encounter with God showed me he knows the matters of the heart. Now, I don’t hesitate to empty my wallet or give a $20 instead of a dollar bill, when the offering plate passes my by–for a second time.
angchronicles 