In Case You Missed It -- Nehemiah 10, Psalm 88
Nehemiah, the Levites, and other leaders seal a covenant with their signatures to begin Nehemiah 10. This covenant commits to the stipulations found in the Mosaic law. For today, consider that these leaders “assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree” (Nehemiah 10:3). This idea of “firstfruits” plays a prominent role in scripture, representing the gift of their best to God, since He is the giver of all things. Though He delights more in a contrite spirit than in sacrifices and offerings, at the same time, a contrite spirit stirs them to give God their best.
How is your spirit before God? What you give to God in terms of time, resources, and passions will reveal a great deal about your spirit’s posture before Him. Importantly, God frees us to give our firstfruits precisely because God gives us His first fruits: Jesus, Son of God (1 Corinthians 15:20).