We are warned against presumptuously testing God; “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (Deuteronomy 6:16). Still, there is a time when God invites us to test Him. Surprisingly, it regards our finances of all things.

“‘Bring the whole tithe (a tithe is 10%) into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows'” (Malachi 3:10).

Why does God want us to tithe? Surely God doesn’t need our little pittance. He created everything and everything belongs to Him. Yet He acts like our giving is so important that He attaches a pretty impressive promise to it.

God is trying to set our priorities right: He should always be our number one priority. Our money in itself is not important to Him but He knows how important it is to us. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21) When we set aside the first tenth of our income before we pay a bill or spend a dime, we are saying that our treasure is in Him.

At least, that must be the way He sees it. Why else would he make such an extravagant promise? He will open the windows of heaven? He will pour out an overflowing blessing? Sounds like a good deal to me. I’m willing to test Him in that promise, how about you?