Have you ever been challenged by a daily Bible reading note? I had one recently that made me wonder: if I was in that situation what would I do? It was about giving.

The writer suggested we give God our entire first month’s wage. I thought how improbable this would be as we all need our income to live off, but wouldn’t it be lovely to be able to give God our ‘first fruits’ as they did in Old Testament times. That perfect lamb, the best in the flock, the one you would prefer to keep.

Recently God pushed me back into work unexpectedly. I was in a state of panic as I have not worked for ten years, and had set a goal of doing something about it in September, not June! I went to the front for prayer in church the Sunday before I started, and was given a verse from Ephesians saying, ‘Do your work with enthusiasm. Work as if you were serving the Lord, not as if you were serving men and women’ (5:7).

I really felt that this job was a gift from God, and although I wasn’t sure how I would get through it, the only way I could manage was if I did it solely for God and his glory. But then I remembered the daily reading about giving God your first wage and realised this verse corresponded with that. So - I pledged God my first month’s wage.

If I am honest, I did have a mental tussle, because a part of me wanted to keep something back for myself - this was my first piece of income in many years and I fancied treating myself! Interestingly the Israelites felt the same, not wanting God to have their first fruits but something of less value. What if I gave God the first week, not month’s wage? I reasoned. But there is a spiritual principle that God demands our best and our all, and we should not hold back. Also there is the principle of making a vow and fulfilling it, and I had promised him this offering.

Despite these mental tussles God knew I would give everything, even though it is taking time – my first month’s wage is spread over two months, hence the time to think about the decision.

What is God asking you to give? Are you rationalizing the decision and persuading yourself out of it? God is no man’s debtor. He honours our giving and blesses us when we bless him with our sacrifice of love. My first month’s wage doesn’t seem much of a sacrifice as I can’t miss what I have never had, but handing over large sums of money can be very challenging and seemingly foolish when you have a family to look after, especially in the credit crunch! However, it releases joy in my heart to have the opportunity to give him the first fruits of my labour.