Give God Your Best

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

Some Scriptures are more sobering than others. That is, when you read them, you must mull them over in your mind and spirit, and ask yourself some hard questions. That happens with me a lot, especially when the Scriptures talk about total devotion to God. One way the Bible gets that message across is by reminding you about what God deserves. Just for being God, He deserves our best in worship. 

Israel was often chastised for its half-hearted worship. They demonstrated it by not giving the Lord God their best. During one of those times, the prophet Malachi accused the people of giving blind animals as sacrifices instead of unblemished ones as the Lord had instructed. Furthermore, when they were called upon to show God’s true worth in giving their time and resources, they merely gave God leftovers—the time and valuables they didn’t want or need.

Now before we go off on Israel, we have to do some serious self-examination of our own lives. Is it possible that we offer to God our energy, but only what is left after work, family, and fun? Is it possible that we offer to God our treasures, but only what is left after paying the bills and getting all the “toys” we want? Is it possible that we offer to God our time, but only what is left after the “big game,” the recital, homework, or any number of activities in our daily routine? 

Another Old Testament prophet explained why God deserves our best in worship. He said,  But now thus says the LORD, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine [Isaiah 43:1].

So be stirred, aroused, inspired to think about what the Lord God has done for you in Christ. Let it propel you to true and spiritual worship [John 4:24] — not because you HAVE to, but because you WANT to!

The LORD Almighty says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. I am your father and master, but where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have despised my name!” But you ask, “How have we ever despised your name?’ “You have despised my name 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. 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 Almighty. Malachi 1:6-8