Human Response 184: Give God the First

Leviticus 19:23-25 And when ye shall have come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of. But in the fourth year all fruit shall be holy to praise the Lord withal. And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the Lord your God.

The principle behind this strange command is that we give God the first and the best of everything we have been given to enjoy life with. It takes time and patience to grow fruit trees, and when the firstfruits of the fourth year finally produce we give it all to the Lord to thank Him for it. God will provide the increase in the fifth year and beyond. We trust God to abundantly provide what is needed, and we don’t rob God by taking what is His for ourself. We praise and thank God for His great blessings by setting aside the first and best of everything. We give to the Lord the tithe for kingdom use out of love that responds to His love.

We recognize the Lord in everything we do for work or pleasure. We acknowledge where it all comes from, that He is the source of all good things. We begin every task in His name, and “we do all to the glory of God the Father.”