Deuteronomy 14:23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.

Moses couldn’t have been any more explicit than this that the tithe was to be consumed by those offering it. That certainly turns current thinking on its head! He goes on to say that agricultural products could be converted to money for convenience, but then that money could be used however the worshiper liked. (verse 26) He does say that Levites, that is, church workers, are to be provided for, as well as widows and orphans, but this is certainly not the picture most people have of church giving! The interesting thing, however, is in this verse. All this feasting is to be done so that you will learn to fear the Lord your God. (The latest NIV corrects “fear” to “revere,” but most translations have it as fear.) That certainly puts a different twist on the fear of the Lord! Going back to the reading from Revelation a few days ago, the fear of the Lord isn’t terror, but a deep awareness and appreciation for who and what He is, encompassing all His attributes. Some people want to keep God in a box, perhaps as their guide, or their ticket to heaven, but they choose not to relate to Him in His entirety. Actually, since He is infinite, we can’t do that totally, but the fear of the Lord acknowledges His power and mercy, holiness and love. Feasting before the Lord is an exercise in remembering that He is our Provider, the One who created everything and then gave it to us. Seeing Him as a mean old judge just waiting to whack us with a big stick is just as wrong as seeing Him as an indulgent grandfather who will let us do absolutely anything. Properly understood, the fear of the Lord can be expressed as loving the Lord or delighting in the Lord. He is certainly worthy of all those things!

I think my parents had a very balanced view of God, and that is what they passed on to me. I have always maintained that God has a sense of humor, because that is the environment in which I was raised. I know that following God sometimes calls for sacrifice. My parents became missionaries at a time when crossing the Pacific took days, not hours. (And we complain about long plane rides!) That said, my mother said that the only real sacrifice she made to be a missionary was proximity to family. Some are indeed called to give their lives, but in the final analysis, that’s something we can’t hang onto anyway! I am to delight in my Lord, and at the same time be totally committed and obedient to Him. He has shown Himself to be incredibly gracious and generous, loving and holy. I am to fear Him with intense gratitude!

Father, thank You for this reminder. There is always more of You for me to learn! Help me fear You as You desire and intend, so that I may be fully useful for Your purposes, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!