Praying through Giving

Praying through Giving

The Old Testament was full of animal sacrifices, different types of offerings, compulsory tithes and building of personal altars to the Lord that were effigies of things and practices we now have in the New Testament; however, we hardly understand what they really meant — that a sacrifice was prayer to God and that offering represent worship, gratitude or penalties for misconduct.

Well, if we fail to understand the shadows, how then shall we appreciate the real object? Today, many Christians do not understand the higher level of giving in the New Testament but actively dwell on the Old Testament. The solution to this problem, to my mind, lies in answer to three questions namely,

1.  “What does it mean to give to God?”

2.  “What are the differences between the Old Testament giving and that of the New Testament?” and

3.  “How does giving to God translate to praying to Him?”

Firstly, God is love; and you cannot define love without selfless giving as confirmed by John 3: 16. Gifts are only meant for loved ones and associates; that is why giving to strangers is called charity or alms. When gifts were offered to God outside a cordial relationship with Him, the Bible calls it abomination; we therefore, give to Him to either appreciate and strengthen our relationship or normalize it as the case might be. Just as faith without works is dead, love without giving is the height of deceit.

Secondly, in the Old Testament, sacrifices, duties and offerings were codified into Law thereby becoming debts to be paid. Sadly, the Law can only proffer the people a general relationship with God with very minimal chances of having a personal relationship with Him; except in cases where the Saints built personal altars and walked in special covenants. However, in the New Testament, God seeks to have a personal relationship with us! He has given us His best and expects us to have nothing independent of Him. It’s therefore shameful for Christians to boast that they “pay” their tithe when our Lord said that our righteousness must surpass the Pharisees’. You remember that a rich man rejected Christ because the Lord asked him to give his possessions to the poor; a strange instruction to the Old Testament. Sacrificial giving and bountiful receiving is a continuous personal loving interaction between us and God, without which it is doubtful you have a cordial relationship together. Our giving to God is above the Old Testament payments, we do it cheerfully and willingly in love (2 Cor. 9: 7; 1 Tim. 6: 18)

Lastly, the most holy sacrifice in the Old Testament was the burnt offering or the burnt part of an offering, which is described severally as, “…an aroma pleasing to the LORD” (Lev. 1:9). Therefore, the Lord “smelled the pleasing aroma” of Noah’s offering and blessed the earth (Gen. 8: 20-22). In the New Testament however, Jesus Christ is our Almighty sacrifice and we don’t offer such sacrifices anymore. However, in Phil 4: 18 Paul said, “…having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God”. Most refreshingly, Rev. 5: 8; 8: 3, 4 describe the prayer of the saints as fragrant incense before the Lord! Also, note that Cornelius’ prayers and alms amounted to the same thing before the Lord — a memorial offering.  Without doubt, the Old Testament burnt offering, the New Testament giving and prayers of the saints amount to same thing. It is evident therefore, that each time we give we are actually praying; to not give willingly and cheerfully to God is to limit ourselves to our capability and forfeit our accessibility to His grace and tender mercies. Giving is New Testament way of building an altar to the Lord.