“…and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be Gods house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.” Genesis 28:22 (NIV)
This verse is the end of a reflection that Jacob had while on a journey back to his father’s home in Haran. He stopped for the night in a city called Luz. In a dream, God shared with Jacob the promise He gave to Abraham. He also reminded Jacob that He would remain with him until the promise was fulfilled.
Although Jacob had been told of the promise by his father, this dream was a confirmation for him. Upon waking, Jacob renamed the city Bethel, which means “house of God.” He made a vow to serve the Lord, his God, and to give Him a tenth of all God gave him.
The beginning of Jacob’s vow really stands out because it shows that Jacob understands God’s power and ability. In Genesis 28:20, Jacob acknowledges several things that can also encourage us.
God will be with him
Just as God promised to be with Jacob, He will be with us. Deuteronomy 31:6 reminds us that God will never leave us nor forsake us. We have nothing to fear. We should not become discouraged when life’s trials come.
There will be times where the money just does not appear capable of stretching to the end of the month. There will be times where financial transactions go sour and things don’t work out as we might like. That does not mean that God is not present.
God will watch over him on his journey
We all are on a journey. Only God knows where we will end up. While no other person is on the exact same journey as we are, we know that God is with us. Although the journey may have twists and turns, bumps and curves, we have to learn to trust God through it. Since He knows the road, we should just allow Him to take the steering wheel.
God will give him food to eat and clothes to wear
Jacob is traveling from one city to another, and he is not worried about his food or his clothing. What faith he had! If we would just try God in that same respect. We claim to understand Matthew 6:31-34, but most of us fail to live it out. God knows everything that His children need, and He is willing to provide. The only thing He wants us to do is to seek Him. So simple, yet so difficult.
In his vow, Jacob acknowledges that God can ensure his safe arrival at his father’s house. As a small token of his appreciation, Jacob vows to honor God by giving Him a tenth of all that God gives him.
In comparing that tenth to what we get from God, it really is small. Even if we gave God back 100%, we still could never reimburse Him for His grace and mercy. The beauty of it is that we don’t have to. God isn’t looking to be reimbursed. He just wants our love and commitment.
Let’s commit to giving God that 10% as gesture of appreciation for all that He does for us. While He doesn’t need anything from us, our actions will be a reflection of our hearts.
