Don't Let It Come To This

# 343 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 25:13 Then David said to his men, "Every man gird on his sword." So every man girded on his sword, and David also girded on his sword. And about four hundred men went with David, and two hundred stayed with the supplies. (1 Sam 25:13) Uh oh. Nabal's tight-fisted approach with his money is about to cost him big time. The one who had been protecting him and making it possible to have a profitable year was about to punish him for his lack of gratitude. Since David often serves as a type of Christ in the Scripture, and I believe his role as Nabal's protector is a classic example of being a type of Christ, can we infer that our lack of proper giving can stir up the wrath of God against us? Most of the passages in Scripture about giving are associated with promised blessing, but is there a time when God raises His hand in wrath against the ungrateful heart? Isa 1:2-4 says, “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: "I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me; 3 The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master's crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider." 4 Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward.” What is the Lord saying here? He says, “look, I nourished and brought up the children of Israel like a farmer provides for his animals, but My people, did not consider it, and they have provoked Me to anger, just as David was provoked to anger for Nabal's ungrateful response. I don't think scare tactics are God's first choice to warm people's hearts to giving, nonetheless we cannot deny that there are times when His patience wears thin. (Something to consider if we drag our heels in showing our own gratitude to the Lord.) “Father in the matter of my offerings to You, don't let it come to this, grant me a thankful and generous heart. “