GOD WILL GIVE YOU MUCH MORE
Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?” The man of God replied, “The Lord can give you much more than that.” 2 Chronicles 25:9 (NIV)
The Bible says that when King Amaziah, the great great grandson of Jehoshaphat, became king, he began to organize the army. He gathered together all the people of Judah and appointed leaders over them. He then carried out a census of all the young men over twenty years old and there were over three hundred thousand of them who were ready for military service. In addition, King Amaziah hired a hundred thousand fighting men from Israel for which he had paid a hundred talents of silver. He now had a huge and powerful army.
Just when he was thinking that he was set, along comes the man of God to deliver a message. God tells Amaziah not to go to war along with the men of Israel because the Lord is not with Israel. God adds that should Amaziah go to war along with the men of Israel, he would be defeated no matter how hard they fight. Amaziah’s first thought was what he stood to lose by sending away the fighting men of Israel. He asks the man of God, “But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops? (2 Chronicles 25:9a). To him, sending these men away was like throwing away the one hundred talents of silver. The man of God responds, “The Lord can give you much more than that.” Fortunately, Amaziah obeyed the word of God, sent away the men of Israel, went to war and defeated his enemies.
The dilemma faced by King Amaziah is similar to what Christians face on a daily basis. Many times, we are called to choose between two diametrically opposed options. In most cases, while one is clearly out of the will of God, the other is very definitely in the will of God. Rather than make the right choice, we hesitate, procrastinate and try to justify why we should not do what is clearly God’s will.
This is especially true in the area of our finances. God has made it clear in His Word that we are to pay our tithes and give offerings to the house of God. Many Believers try to avoid doing so and come up with all kinds of excuses and justification. But the Word of the Lord says “The Lord is able to give you much more than this (New Living Translation) or as the New American Standard put it, “The Lord has much more to give you than this.” In other words, what you think you are giving up is nothing compared to what He will give you in return. He has promised in His Word, “Bring the whole tithe into the store house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it.” (Malachi 3:10).
Friends, may we be like King David who was quick to declare to Araunah the Jebusite that he will not give to God that which costs him nothing (2 Samuel 24:24).
May we be obedient and faithful to give to God what is due to Him.
Prayer:
Father, we love you today and we thank you for all that you have done for us. Lord, you gave us your life so that we might have life more abundantly and in comparison you ask for so little in return. May we be faithful in the things that are due to you so that we may honour you and receive the blessings that you have stored up for us. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.
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