Bringing God Our First And Best
Exodus 23:16; Exodus 23:19; Provers 3:9-10
In the Old Testament, the Feast of First Fruits was a celebration of gratitude, trust, and honor toward God. The people of Israel were commanded to bring the first portion of their harvest before the Lord. Before they consumed the harvest themselves, before they calculated profits or secured their future, they were to acknowledge that everything they had come from God. The first fruits were never merely about agriculture; they were about the condition of the heart. God was teaching His people to put Him first in every area of life.
Bring the first portion of their harvest before the Lord
Giving God the first and best requires faith. The farmer brought the first portion of the harvest before knowing what the rest of the season would produce. It was an act of trust that God would continue to provide. Human nature wants to hold tightly to what we have because fear tells us there may not be enough tomorrow. But faith declares that God is
our source. The offering of first fruits was a declaration that the blessing did not come from human effort alone, but from the hand of God.
GIVING GOD THE FIRST AND BEST
Today, God still desires first place in our lives. First fruits are not limited to finances or crops. We give God the first part of our day in prayer. We give Him the first place in our priorities, our decisions, our worship, and our service. Too often, people give God what is left over – leftover time, leftover energy, leftover devotion. But God calls us to honor Him with our first and our best. When God truly becomes first in our lives, everything else begins to fall into proper order.
people give god what is left over
The Feast of First Fruits also pointed prophetically to Jesus Christ. Jesus became the “first fruits” of the resurrection. Just as the first sheaf of the harvest was presented before God as a sign of more to come, Christ rose from the dead as the guarantee of eternal life for all who believe in Him. His resurrection assures us that death does not have the final word. Because He lives, we have hope beyond this world.
Bringing our first fruits is therefore not merely a religious act; it is an act of worship. Worship acknowledges God as provider, sustainer, and Lord over all. It reminds us that our lives are not built on self-sufficiency but on dependence upon Him. When we honor God first, we position our hearts to trust Him more deeply and to walk in greater obedience.
WORSHIP ACKNOWLEDGES GOD AS PROVIDER
The principle of first fruits challenges our modern culture, which often teaches self-preservation and personal gain above all else. Yet the kingdom of God operates differently. Jesus taught that when we seek first the kingdom of God, all these things will be added unto us. God is not after our possessions alone; He desires our hearts. The first thing we give reveals what we value most.
SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Today, God still calls His people to live lives of first fruits – lives that place Him above every fear, every ambition, and every distraction. When we give Him our first and best, we declare that He is worthy of our trust, our worship, and our obedience. And as we honor Him, we discover that He is faithful to provide, faithful to guide, and faithful to
fulfill every promise He has spoken over His people.
by Jennifer Tan
President
Aglow International Singapore
This reflection was prepared through inspiration from my pastor’s sermon and study of Scripture. Some editorial assistance and structuring support were provided through the use of artificial intelligence tools to help refine language and organization.