Give God Your Best, Not Your Leftovers

Don’t fit God into your day. Build your day around Him.

Malachi 1:7-8

[7] “You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar. “Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices?’ “You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. [8] When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

The Lord opened my Bible to Malachi this morning, and it surprised me. I've read this book many times and didn't really see why I was reading it, but I kept going.

Basically, this chapter is the Lord calling Israel out on their lousy sacrifices, and He starts by reminding them of how great His love is for them. Then the Lord nails the priests with a question: "Where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for My name!"

Dang.

I think it's important to recognize that these sacrifices are half-hearted. They are trying to slip in stolen, crippled, and sick animals. My realization about what the Lord is saying to Israel is that we are guilty of the same thing. We give half-hearted, leftover energy, worship, time, and resources to our Heavenly Father.

The priests offered blind, sick, and hurt animals because they did not value God. Today, we offer weak worship, then give God our leftover time, tired energy, or sloppy effort instead of our best efforts! Give God your best, not simply what's left after everything else has taken its share.

How often, during hard times, do we forget all the things God blesses and provides us with every day? Here Israel is asking the Lord, "how have you loved us?" Reading this, my first thought is, "Wow, what a bold, stupid question."

We need to understand that in the hardships and trials we face, our lack of faith—not trusting God's plan and that He will come through—is the same as questioning the Lord as they did. Whether it's outright asking God how He's loved you or not trusting that He loves you and has a plan for you, they are both rooted in a lack of faith.

God deserves our best! He deserves the best version of you, fully devoted and committed to worshiping and serving Him. Give God your best—your worship, your time, your energy, and your effort. Don't let temporary hardship blind you to the goodness of God.

Thank you, Father, for one more day. Amen.

Malachi 1:10-11

[10] “How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “and I will not accept your offerings. [11] But my name is honored by people of other nations from morning till night. All around the world they offer sweet incense and pure offerings in honor of my name. For my name is great among the nations,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

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