First Fruits

"You shall bring the first fruits of your harvest to the priest..." 

Leviticus 23:10-11

God's instructions to Moses were very precise and detailed. The Jews as His chosen people had to observe many festivals, hold sacred assemblies, offer oblations as prescribed for certain days. There were days when they did no work at all. One of His commands was that when they harvested their first crops, they were supposed to bring the first fruits to the priest. 

Today, as Christians, we also have our rituals, our liturgy, our feast days and assemblies. But I think very few of us offer our first fruits to God. 

In the New Testament, the "first fruits" is mentioned symbolically seven times. Although it is not commanded of us, we should make a habit of it because God can never be outdone in generosity. When we give back to Him the first and the best of what He has blessed us with, it shows we acknowledge Him as the most important in our life, that we are grateful to Him. 

When we receive our salary, it is good to set aside a portion for God's work. When we wake up to a new day, we should take some time in prayer and study of His Word, and most especially to listen to Him. In Malachi 3:10, we can read what God says: "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it." When we give of our first fruits, we will be blessed. That is the long and short of it. 

Father, I thank You for teaching us Your ways! You want to bless us and You tell us what to do in order that You can throw open the floodgates of heaven. How exciting it is that You give us Your secrets in Your Word! We have only to follow You! 

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