Contemplative Bible Reading

Malachi 3:8-12 (New International Version)

⁸ “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’
“In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ 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 you will not have room enough for it. ¹¹ I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty. ¹² “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty.

How can a person rob God? God is all powerful, so I cannot over power Him, threaten to “give me you things or else.” God is all knowing, so I cannot out smart Him, pick His pocket when He isn’t looking.

So, how can a person rob God? But here we have it, God is angry with His people because they are robbing from Him. They are not giving tithes and offerings as God requested.

There are things that God wants from us. In the Old Testament, He told His people what he expected them to do and give. In our times, He tells us what he wants us to do, feel, say, have in our hearts.

Do we rob God? Well, are we giving Him what he asks of us?