A few years ago, I had a vision in which I was at Church and I was watching people moving forward to give their offering. I could see that many of them were frustrated because they had given so much, sometimes even to the point of skinning themselves, but they felt the result was neither on the same scale as their sacrifices and expectations, nor worthy of the prophecies that had often prompted them to give.
While pondering on that, I understood that there are four basic elements that determine the likelihood and the quality of a financial harvest.
The seed itself is the first determinant of the harvest. You need to sow to harvest and to sow a lot to harvest a lot. Furthermore, two things matter:
The nature of the seed. The gap between planting and harvest times depends on it: a few years for fruit trees and a few weeks for household (kitchen) gardens. The bigger the miracle you are hoping for, the longer the wait. In spite of their offerings, Sara, Anna, Elisabeth and others had to wait for many years to breastfeed a son. In Africa, it is frequent to see passers-by picking fruits on a mango tree that no longer belongs to anyone. He who planted it having left long ago, without ever tasting one of its mangoes. Thus, there are some who accuse God of injustice and others complain that His servants lack anointing, while they are those who have abandoned here and there in their ecclesial wandering, fields that will eventually benefit to others. Let’s not be quickly discouraged.
The quality of the seed. It must be perfect: without spot, defect, blemish or infirmity. We will not have a good harvest if our seeds are rotten. My father who was an agronomist, only planted the best varieties of fruits and plants at home, grafting when necessary, in order to obtain excellent quality products. He was never disappointed...and neither were we! I still eat some of those when I go back home.
Let’s not offer just anything to the Lord on the pretext that only the intention matters. Let’s take time to choose and prepare whatever we are bringing to Him. Let’s not desecrate His Temple and His Holy Name with ‘blind, crippled, sick or stolen’ gifts. He would not accept them. That’s what the following verses are about : “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, 'How have we despised your name?' By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, 'How have we polluted you?' By saying that the LORD's table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts. 9 And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the LORD of hosts. 10 Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. 11 …For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts. 12 But you profane it … 13 But you say, 'What a weariness this is,' and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD.” (Malachi 1:6ss)
To be continued…
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