Tithing- "Prove me herewith"

I was reviewing our budget. I do really well, usually with our finances. I say usually because I made a huge blunder recently. A couple of months ago, I noticed an excess of funds. I believed that they were a result of an extra class my husband had taught, so I used them to pay directly into our house debt. I do this any time we have excess. I should have double checked first.

I realized when reviewing our budget and documents later that the funds were not from an extra class, but a missed tithing payment.

I remember getting online to pay tithing but I failed to complete the translation by not pressing submit. At least I think that is what happened.

The month was tight with funds. We had a few large bills come through and I wasn't sure what to do. I had not encountered a temptation not to pay tithing in a long time. The Lord had really taken care of us. I knew to pay it but my mind tried to devise a way that it would impact us the least possible. As I devised and schemed the scripture- "prove me now herewith" entered my mind. Malacah 3:10 "bring ye all tithes...and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing, that there shall not be room to receive it."

Now I don't know about you, but it sounds a lot to me that the Lord is saying- come and try this principle out. We are told not to ask for "signs" but is this the one exception? Is this the one place where the Lord will provide for us miraculously and "open the windows of heaven" and pour out upon us blessings? I have definitely seen it with my own eyes not even just in the story I am about to share but many times before.

I hope however to be faithful enough as the widow who "casteth in her mite", far away from the praising voice of the Savior. Who did not hear his words, who did not realize her story would inspire millions, but she did it anyway. With out knowing that she would receive anything, she gave all she had not knowing where her or her family's next meal would come from. But since God is an Honest God and One who keeps his word. Our rewards will come. In this life or the next. Even so much that we may not have room to receive them! Wow!

So I paid my tithing double that month.

I know we are always blessed for paying tithing but I am not always looking for the blessings. so in my perspective I really shouldn't have been technically blessed right? Not "more than normal". Since I was just doing what I owed in the first place. After all I was paying a month that I had missed.  But I couldn't help but keep my eyes open for blessings. It was a sacrifice. I didn't know how the numbers were going to work out.

I did know, however, that the Lord would bless us. That somehow we would make it.

I waited upon the Lord. I tried to find a few ways that we would make money with full confidence that something would happen. My pride didn't allow me to tell my husband just yet about my tithing blunder, I hoped that the tithing blessing would come through. I watched for it and tied to figure out how to make things work and a few days after paying the tithing the blessing came...

My husband came in from work one afternoon and I was at the computer.

He walked in the door and said "You will never guess what happened today."

I replied "Someone gave you a bunch of money."

He stopped mid-stride and eyed me with surprise. "How did you know?" He asked.

I was right. The blessing had come. Before he could even tell me what the blessing was guilt got the better part of me and I told him my financial blunder and how we had to pay two months of tithing that month because of my mistake.

My husband, who is the most honest person I know and the most honest with the Lord, sat and listened.  He still hadn't told me his news yet and asked how much we owed on tithing and had paid this month. I told him. He sat down and did some numbers in his head.

"Yes" he replied."Someone did give us a bunch of money or an extra job that will provide a bunch of money and it comes out to be almost 8 times what we paid in tithing."

It turns out a large company got my husbands name and asked him that morning to teach a class. The thing is, it won't just be one class but it will be a continuous class. Each time he will make a generous amount for a minimal amount of time.

I know things don't always turn out this exact way with tithing. And sometimes it is stories like these that make people frustrated, but who am I to not report miracles when they come and bear testimony of such things. The windows of heaven do open and this isn't even the greatest of tithing miracles. I know the true miracles take place in our hearts when we use our agency to follow out of obedience and love for our Father in Heaven and his plan. This change is worth more in the eternities than we can fathom.