First Fruits Offering

Deuteronomy 26:1-2

"When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name "

About a week ago I was talking to Nancy about my garden. I was telling her that my garden is doing well, but it is interesting because I think that after you harvest the first fruits your garden will never look as good. I think things just grow better the first time around no matter how much you tend to them. I never knew this about a garden before. She said, "Thats why we are supposed to give our first fruits to God."

That little comment I have thought about SO much. Its so true. We are supposed to give God our first fruits. You can see in the picture, the first one of my garden looks amazing. It is green and lush and producing all kinds of fruit. In the second picture (which is my garden now) it has the remains of some of the first harvest and its kinda dead on the bottom and although it is still producing fruit, it is not like the first at all.

This is the same for our relationship with God. We are called to give Him the best of us, our first fruits. The Lord is refining my heart so much right now to show me that I am not doing this like I should be. I like to read my bible before I go to bed but a lot of times I fall asleep in the process. This is not giving God my best; the first fruits. I need to find the time of the day I am at my best, and come to the Lord with that heart. Whether it is in the morning, all day throughout the day, or not so late at night.

The thing is, I am still growing when I am not giving my first fruits. I am still producing fruit like the state my garden is now, but I am not flourishing the way I could be. I could be going deeper, and my heart could be flooded more, if I came to the Lord at my best. If we do, we look like that first picture of my garden before the Lord. We are beautiful, bright, full, attentive and ready to produce even more fruit through growth. God is totally showing me what my potential is and what our relationship could look like as I learn to obey His commandments more.

We are called to do this in everything we do. It was even revealed to me this is what the sabbath is. Sunday is supposed to be our first day of the week where we come to the Lord in rest, with an open heart, being prepared for the week. It is giving God our first fruits.

I pray that the Lord would also show you girls how to give your first fruits in your life. Whether it be with money, time, energy, etc. We are created to bring glory to the Lord and we need to think about this at all times. How can we be worshiping and serving our Lord better?

Lord, help us to come to you with our best and to sacrifice what we hold most dear and recognize that it was never ours to begin with. I ask that you would refine our hearts so that we would be motivated to do whatever it takes to give you the first fruits of all we are and do. We need you Father, and most of all we want you. Please invade Holy Spirit, form our hearts to need more of you. Let us be pleasing in your sight as your creation. In your precious Name, amen.

Love you girls,

Natalie