Good morning. Today is Thursday, April 23rd!

🥳 Congratulations on starting today with God, and thank you for letting us be a part of it.

— Malachi 3:8

God didn’t only answer questions in the Bible, He asks them too, and we’re going to talk about one of the last ones He asked.

And you might expect the last question God asks to show up in the final book of the Bible, Revelation, but it actually comes earlier in Malachi 3:8:

“Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.”

Malachi 3:8 (NIV)
“Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’
“In tithes and offerings.”

This question is rhetorical. God isn’t asking because He needs an answer. He’s asking to wake them up and make them see what they’re doing.

And the word “rob” here is strong. It doesn’t mean they just forgot. It means taking something that isn’t yours. So this wasn’t accidental, they were holding back what was meant for Him.

This fits the whole vibe of Malachi. It’s a back and forth conversation. God speaks, the people question, and God responds. It shows a group of people who had gotten comfortable and stopped checking their hearts.

The timing matters too. This is after exile. The temple is rebuilt. Life looks fine on the outside, but inside they’re spiritually dry. They’re doing the right things, but their hearts aren’t in it.

God says they’re robbing Him through tithes and offerings. Not because He needs anything, but because it shows what they care about and where their trust really is.

This lines up with what Jesus later says in Matthew 6:21, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

And then this part is wild. In Malachi 3:10, God says to test Him. Almost everywhere else, testing God is warned against, but here He invites it. He’s basically saying try Me and see if I don’t come through.

So yes, they were robbing God. But the goal of the question isn’t just to call them out. It’s to call them back.

So know this: when God asks a question, He’s not looking for information, He’s going after your heart.

When you’re not sure how to pray, A.C.T.S. gives you a simple path to follow: Adore, Confess, Thank, and Ask.

Adoration: God, You are worthy of everything.

Confession: I sometimes hold things back from You.

Thanksgiving: Thank You for calling me back.

Supplication: Help me trust You and give You my whole heart.

In Jesus name, Amen

“FALL AFRESH” by Jeremy Riddle

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Thanks for letting us be a part of how you start your day with God.

See you tomorrow,

Zach | Start With God