“Thus says the LORD concerning this people: “They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; therefore the LORD does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.”
Malachi 1:8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the LORD of hosts. Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts. But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.
Hosea 8:13 As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins;
Romans 2:11 For God shows no partiality.
1 Peter 1:17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear.
What does it mean to give our all to God? Would this not include our time, our thoughts, our actions, what we say, what we are in possession of? Our definition of our “ALL” is diluted by many things. The first and biggest deception and lie affecting us is that we think we can make it on our own and only come to God when things get sideways. Another lie we believe is that we can know and understand God without being in His word. Another lie we hang on to is that what is in our possession is ours and we can do with it as we please. Another lie tied to this is our giving to God is from what we have left over and not from the commitment of right off the top. I recently was talking with a young man who looked after his grandfather and grandmother’s estate when they passed away. There was little the family had wanted. An estate sale was conducted to clear their possessions from the house. All of what his grandparents had kept and cherished was now being sold for pennies on the dollar. In less than a couple of weeks all was gone. Such is life we come into it with nothing and we certainly leave with nothing yet we hang on to it as though it was coming with us. In reality we are only stewards of what God has allowed. It is all His. Shouldn’t we be seeking what His will is for this and be willing to give the best of what we have when His quiet small voice calls to us. Being ready and willing to give the best of our time and possessions to God is a heart that pleases Him.
