Digging Deep
Tuesday 26th March 2024
GIVING AS AN ACT WORSHIP TO GOD
Bible text:
Genesis 27:1-4
Abiakum Macbeth
abiakumm@yahoo.com
Introduction:
Worship is a
feeling or reference and adoration to God. Its a way to express your love to
God. Giving means providing love or other emotion support.
Giving as an act
of worship therefore means a form of reference we show to God by parting with
our substances or what is precious to us. Note that giving is also a form of
thanksgiving, sacrificial giving or obligatory giving. While these other forms
of giving are good, giving as a form of worship surpasses them all as it has no
attachment or conditions to it.
While giving as
a form of thanksgiving is a way of thanking God for all his benefits,
sacrificial giving is aimed at provoking the heavens to do the miraculous.
Obligatory giving is about fulling the covenant or the obligation. Gen 22:1-11,
Prov.3:9, Mal 3:8-12, while the book of psalms is full of thanksgiving for the
Lord’s goodness, kindness and mercy.
Giving as a form
of worship to God is one of the best forms of giving in that it puts us in
position to do what God will ordinary not want to do to Himself. God doesn’t
like self-worship. That is, he doesn’t like to worship himself. Rev. 4:11, Luke
19:37-40.
Giving as an act
of worship has no conditions attached, its all about reference, adoration and
an act that shows how much you love the Lord. It is love that is far above rubies
or substance. You do it out of your own volition.
Solomon is a
classic example of one whose giving was an act of worship to God. God didn’t
ask, command or mandate him to do so. He didn’t give because of fulfilling a
condition or of what he wanted from God. He gave as an act of worship. 1kings
3:3-4. We see the rewards. God gave him a blank cheque.
Abel’s offering
is another example of worship. Though it was a culture to give an offering to
God, he gave his best and it was accepted unto God as a form of worship. Even
when Cain slew him, his worship (blood) was still speaking.
King Hezekiah
works were a reference to God. Even when his death was announced, his works
spoke for him. Issaiah 38;1-6
Time will not
permit me to talk of Noah Gen. 6:8, Job 1:8, They gave their totality in
worship of God.
Benefits of
giving as an act of worship
In the text we
read, Before Isaac could bless Esau, he wanted him to put something on the
alter. Esau’s venison was pleasant to Isaac. It wasn’t because Isaac lacked a
meal to eat. He wanted Esau to give something in exchange of the blessing. Its
the same way God want’s us to put something on the alter to activate our
blessings, worship being number one of all other things.
1
God is honoured in your life. He likes it when
we worship him especially with our substance. Just as God does not enjoy
self-worship, he wants us to worship Him
2
You can not bless yourself. Blessing is
pronounced on you. One of the things a man cannot do unto him self is to bless
himself. Thus, if you want to provokes
heavenly blessing worship God with your substance.
3
Doors are open for unprecedented blessings when
we worship God with our giving
4
Generational wealth transfer. Sowing for the
future generation
5
Curses are broken
6
Its a sign of acknowledgement. You acknowledge
that fact that there is nothing you own or have that was not given to you.
7
You lay up for yourself treasures not only in
heaven but even here on earth. Matt.6:19-20
8
Givers never lack especially those who give without
any condition attached to their giving. They do so as an act of worship to God.
