Awe of God: The Feast of Firstfruits

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

This verse has weighted heavily on my heart this past week. The principle behind this text has starkly awakened me to my responsibility as a Christian. The reality is, an absence of faith makes it impossible to have a relationship with God.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites were presented with the challenge of living a faith-filled life by giving their first fruits (Leviticus 23:11-14). Specifically, they were asked to give their first harvest to God regardless of impending drought or famine. Quite literally, they were asked to trust God with their lives.

In the New Testament, this charge is echoed. As 1 Corinthians 15:20-21 states, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.” In other words, Jesus is the resurrected king who is the foretaste of our resurrection. He was the “firstfruits” of God’s promise to His followers. As we [followers of God] trust Him faithfully with our lives, He will remain faithful to us.

In seeking to grasp this concept deeper, I have been challenged by its application to my own life. If I am being honest, there are several areas in which I am not fully trusting God. I often struggle to set aside my own power in order to surrender my thoughts, plans, and worries to God’s strength. I have come to the realization that when I am not trusting God with my future, my finances, my relationships, my health, and my joy, I am NOT giving God the honor He deserves. Furthermore, I am not living out the call He has given me.

This week, I challenge you to examine your own life. If you find yourself in a similar position as me, I encourage you to hold tight to the promises of God’s faithfulness. While it can be easy to fall into the trap of relying on human strength, let us remember that God has greater plans in store for us than we could ever imagine. His faithfulness goes beyond our lives on earth. While the challenges of today may be tough and the future may be uncertain, God’s plan supersedes and overwhelms all that is lacking.   

Written by: Tamara Sturdivant

Edited by: De Ann Sturdivant