Showers of Blessing
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse,
that there may be food in my house.
And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts,
if I will not open the windows of heaven for you
and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. Malachi 3:10 ESV
Image © Krieg Barrie from GoodSalt.com
I was four-going-on-five when my father died. My oldest sister was married, two others were college age and the one closest to me was 12. Mother was a young widow in her mid-forties, though I thought anyone that age was old. We were left with a house and very little else. Mother would have to go to work doing something but what?
She was an accomplished musician, but there was little market for her abilities in our neck of the woods. Over the next few years, she would bring in enough money as a piano and voice teacher to supplement the “widow’s pension” the government paid her as surviving spouse of a veteran.
We didn’t have much, but we never went hungry. She kept food on the table and a roof over our heads.
In the summer, she would buy fifty-cent bushels of “cull” tomatoes from a cousin who had a truck farm, and we’d can quarts and quarts of tomatoes and juice. He’d supply us with corn and green beans that went into jars for the winter as well.
The same cousin would take produce to the farmers’ market in the city. What he didn’t sell, he’d put in baskets to leave on doorsteps on his way home. It was so exciting to find two quarts of beautiful strawberries that Mother and I danced around the kitchen.
Tithing was second nature to Mother. When her “widow’s pension” would come in the mail, as soon as the check was cashed, she would take out ten percent and put it in a separate slot in Daddy’s brown leather wallet she always carried.
Some of the parents of her music students were prompt with their payments, while others would stall and make excuses. It didn’t make her happy, but she would go ahead and spend the 30 minutes teaching the child and hope for payment “someday”.
Once, we were in town shopping for food. There wasn’t enough money to buy everything we needed. Mother looked in that little compartment that held the tithe for that month. If she used it, she could pay it back later. The temptation was there, but so was her resolve. No, she would leave it where it was, and we’d be okay. She paid for our purchases, and we left the store.
Walking down the sidewalk to the car, we met the mother of one of her music students. The lady asked, “How much do I owe you?” After Mother pulled out her little notebook and looked up the record, the lady counted out the money and handed it over.
Mother took the cash, figured the 10% and put the tithe in the compartment in Daddy’s wallet. We went back into the store and bought everything we needed and then some.
Showers of blessing? I think so.
(34)
Our God is a God that keeps his promises. He promised to open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings if we are faithful in our tithes. Let us bear in mind that He requires faithfulness in all aspects of our lives-- in our time and talents as well. We can never go wrong if we trust God and claim His promises.
Absolutely, Michelle. Mother's example had a big impact on my life. Children need to see their parents "walk the walk" and not just "talk the talk".
Hi Tommie,
I had a similar situation, my father died when we were 2,4 & 6 and my mother also had only a war widow's pension, but the LORD always provided so we had a roof over our heads, food and clothing. My mother often quoted "Isa 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure" putting emphasis on the last part teaching us to be satisfied so long as we had enough to eat.
That's beautiful, Shirley. We're evidence that His promises are sure, aren't we?
Tommie,
thank you for everything you do to make these lessons possible.May our God continue to bless and keep you
Thank YOU, Dana, for using the lessons. Those of us who work on them (and, believe me, I'm not the only one) are glad that our efforts aren't wasted.
Tommie, What a blessing these lessons are! Thank you so very much for the time and talent you and your team spend creating and editing this site. Lessons and scripture links are very user friendly, making the study all the more enjoyable. Keep up the great work and may the Lord continue to bless you.
Maureen, I'm glad you are utilizing them! The team would be nowhere without the people who write the study guide. Be sure to check out the Helps, too. The quotes from the lessons are expanded to provide the context.
Hello Tommie,
Thank you for your work on SSNET and for this post. When I was a young mother, I was dirt poor for five years. There were times we didn't have enough to eat or enough warm clothes for the winter. At one point, a dear friend who I knew from high school, who didn't know how much we were suffering, sent us some money, and that meant a great deal. Our son is grown up now and on his own.
I always tithed from the beginning of my Christian experience, when our son was two years-old, and continue to do so. Having enough money has always been a problem, but God has always provided what we have needed.
You're welcome for both!
You have been a good example for your son. God uses friends and family to provide what we need when there's a shortage. It makes us appreciate when we have "enough".
Hi Tommie:
I second what others have already mentioned--Thank You and your team for all the work on SSNET. The Biblia bible option cuts down the wait time looking up bible texts. We're so blessed to have these technology tools available to us for our bible studies. God bless you and team!
When faced with financial crisis situation, I need to remind myself to 'Count my Blessings' by looking back how God got me out of the hole in the past to get over the crisis. Thank You for sharing your personal story.
churchinvancouver.ca
I certainly couldn't do it all by myself. Check out the list of people at https://ssnet.org/about-us/ who not only work on the lessons but keep the other areas of SSNET going.
There are countless blessings in my life. My past experience proves that God cares for me in the present, as well.
I enjoy reading these lessons every morning, so I want to thank you for your commitment to God's work!
🙂 I've been hooked on the online lessons for forever, it seems. It was only natural for me to get involved after I retired.
Tommie, I do not hesitate to appreciate people who have sacrificed their time to make other people happy. May God decorate your life and family with success! This website has helped my spiritual growth. God shine his face on your team!!
Thank you! We need your prayers.
Hi Tommie - thank you for sharing your testimony of your mother's faithful giving. What an encouragement to us all to make The Lord our first thoughts with whatever finances He has blessed us with. I also want to add my appreciation to all that you and your colleagues do to make the SSNET studies available. It's a fantastic resource and I use it daily! God bless you all mightily.
You're welcome, Monique! And I'm so glad to hear you are a faithful SSNET person!
Dear Tommie
I have only 'met' you today by reading the sentence above this week's lessons. SSnet is my favourite place to go. For example, recently our church study lesson pamphlets did not arrive from Australia to us on our little Island, so I went to your site and downloaded them to print and pass around each of our church members so we could continue our weekly lessons. I really appreciate the ease of copying and pasting, plus your immediate and easy links. For one of our elders I copy all your resources/helps and the young adult's lessons, for him to make his work easier which is more interesting for us as a congregation. He is very appreciative of them he tells me. I really hope I have not committed a crime in downloading for our church members, as we are of older vintage and most do not have a computer. If I have done something wrong, let me know and I will pay the price. The other sites are not as good/friendly (to a struggling IT pensioner person like me) as yours and your team's, is why I chose yours. By the way, some paper was made available to me that saved my expenses God still provides!
Thank you and Godbless you and your team's work.
A Stolz, Norfolk Island
If you've committed a crime, then I'm guilty, too. I've done the same thing from time to time. I can't speak for everyone on the team (and most assuredly not the editor) but I believe that's why the site is here--to spread the Word and make it accessible to everyone with the Internet and equipment to utilize it. I, for one, am thrilled to hear that you are making such good use of it. There are analytics that show how many "hits" there are on any given page but that doesn't tell us more than statistics. It's people like you that make our efforts worthwhile.
Dear Tommie,thanks to you and the team who has made these lessons available with the Bible verses readily accessible. About six and a half years ago I was diagnose with multiple myeloma. I found it difficult to concentrate and just trying to read the Quarterly and use the Bible proved exhausting at the time.Finding SSNET made it much easier for me at the time to do my lesson study and I have used it consistently since. May God continue to bless and your colleagues.
Thanks for sharing your story and reminding us that God is faithful.
Marcia
Marcia, it's humbles me to know that the lessons are such a blessing to you. Won't it be wonderful when there will be no more illness and pain? God IS faithful. We can depend on that.
Hi Tommie,
Thank you so much for all of your hard work on these Sabbath School Lessons. They are beautifully done, and such a blessing to all who study them. My thanks also go out to all who are involved. Though appreciated, I often neglect to show my gratitude for blessings such as this in my life. We have such a wealth of inspirational material at our fingertips, and it is easy to take it for granted. Thank you also for the great story about God's blessings in your life. God never fails us. May God richly bless you, your family, and the whole Sabbath School Net team.
Doug, I can't take credit for the "beauty" of the lessons. That goes to Peter Wannemacher, the Maine Geek. He takes the final draft of the lessons that is a LONG document and formats it to match the quarterly as closely as humanly possible. The editor (currently located in British Columbia) also works on it. Freeman Senzani (South Africa) creates the references aka Helps. As you can see, the Internet is what it takes for me (in Tennessee) to collaborate with such a far-flung group of dedicated people.
God is right there beside us unless we move away. Blessings on you and yours, too.
Thanks for all that you do!!!!
God is with you Tommie.
You're welcome, Druscilla! Thank YOU for using the lessons!
God is with all of us. If we let Him, He has His hand in everything we do.