Daily devotion – What is in my heart?
Mal 3:10
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Giving God What Is His
“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse…” – Malachi 3:10
The Lord’s charge to His people in Malachi’s day was simple, yet deeply searching: bring all the tithes. Their problem wasn’t that they gave nothing—it was that they did not give fully. They held back, offering God a portion, but not everything He had asked for.
And this revealed a deeper issue—not financial, but spiritual. Their giving reflected their hearts.
Under the New Covenant, we are not bound by the Law in the same way Israel was. The New Testament does not command tithing as a legal requirement, yet it certainly affirms it as a good and honourable practice when done with the right heart (Luke 11:42). In fact, giving predates the Law altogether, as Hebrews 7 shows, reminding us that it has always been a matter of worship, not mere obligation.
What the New Testament makes abundantly clear is not a percentage—but a principle.
In 1 Corinthians 16, we see that giving is to be intentional and faithful:
Periodic – done regularly
Planned – thought through in advance
Proportional – according to how God has blessed us
Private – not for recognition or praise
Then in 2 Corinthians 9, we see the heart behind it:
Generous – not minimal, but abundant
Free – not pressured or manipulated
Cheerful – given with joy before the Lord
So the question is not, “Do I have to tithe?” but rather,
“What does my giving say about my heart toward God?”
If we find ourselves asking, “How little can I give and still please God?” we reveal something is misaligned within us. The early believers had the opposite mindset: “We are not under the law—we are free to give even more!”
Giving is never just about money—it is about trust, surrender, and worship. Jesus made this clear when He said that faithfulness in earthly riches reflects spiritual faithfulness (Luke 16:11).
A helpful benchmark may be ten percent—but for many, that should only be the starting point, not the finish line.
God is not after your wallet—He is after your heart. And where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Lord, teach me to give not out of obligation, but out of love. Help me to trust You with all that I have, and to honour You fully—not holding anything back. Let my giving reflect a heart that treasures You above all. In Jesus’ name, Amen.