Solomon wrote: ‘Honour the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine’ (Proverbs 3:9-10 NIVUK). The people who heard those words lived off their land and their livestock. Whenever they reaped a harvest or birthed new cattle, they’d take the first sheaf or the firstborn calf to the temple and offer it to the Lord. These were called ‘firstfruits’. By doing this they were acknowledging that ‘everything I have comes from God, and belongs to God. And everything I’ll need for the future depends upon God’s goodness to me.’ Today, you’ll probably come across Christians who have very different views on tithing (giving 10 per cent of your income to the church). Some might say we should tithe because it shows our trust in God, others might say we don’t have to because Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross means we’re no longer bound by Old Testament laws. Whatever you choose to do, remember the advice in 2 Corinthians 9:7: ‘Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver’ (NIV). We should be praying for God’s guidance before deciding how much to give. We can also make sure we’re giving God our ‘firstfruits’ – the best bits, not the leftovers – in other ways too. Think about the time you spend with God. Do you make sure you devote time to Him every day or do you spend a hurried few moments with Him when you remember? Try giving Him the best part of your day, and see how much your trust and confidence in Him increase.

What now?

If you don’t already, set aside some time in your calendar each day to spend with God. Resolve to let nothing get in the way of it.