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Root Beer Float

Although I do not have them very often, I like root beer floats (you may prefer a Coke or Dr. Pepper float). I think I have perfected the art of the perfect float. It starts with a good amount of vanilla ice cream (preferably Blue Bell). But there is room for more ice cream if you take the spoon and smush it down, so do that and add even more ice cream.

Then comes the root beer. Pour in as much as you can fit and wait for the fizz to die down. Once that happens, you can give the glass a little shake and the ice cream will settle, allowing the soda to fill in the cracks and make room for even more root beer. Add just enough to reach the top, and a little fizz will run down the sides of the mug. That is a well-executed float, getting as much out of the drink as possible.

Interestingly, God follows that same formula when it comes to how He blesses us. Speaking in Luke 6:38, Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Those are the same steps involved in the making of a float. When we give to God, He gives back to us, but He does so in a measure proportional to the way we give to Him. If we give generously, we will receive generously. If we scrounge in our giving, that will be reflected in our getting.

In Malachi 3 the Lord said He will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing on the ones who bring their tithe into the storehouse. Scripture is clear that God’s blessings depend first on our giving. It is conditional; we must do our part first. If you want root beer float kinds of blessings from God, you need to practice the art of regular and faithful giving to your local church. You can’t afford not to.


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