Giving the Best for God

Giving the Best for God

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Bible Reading: Malachi 1: 6-14

"Cursed fraudster, who has a male animal among his flock, which dinazarkannya, but he offered the disabled animals to God. For I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name feared among the nations. "(Mal 1:14)

Giving the Best for God

Our Bible reading today that the wrath of God to the Israelites. Yes, the Bible does say that the nation of Israel is God's chosen people, but the Bible also says that God's wrath repeatedly to Israel for various reasons. But in this passage there is a unique time, the wrath of God to the Israelites as they try to defame victims should be offered to God.

In verse 8 says that the children of Israel bring an offering to God in the form of animals for slaughter, but animals are animals that brought the disabled, blind animals, even animals are lame. So bad is for the Lord, while they keep their own good. It was an act that does not honor God (verse. 6). God likens even if the animals were submitted to the regents defects (the leader of the nation of Israel), definitely not pleasing to the regents that the animal (v. 8b). I got to thinking, if humans are not pleasing to the animal (probably because of his disability was too much), let alone God? It really makes God angry and upset.

I perceive that God's anger is not because of the small quantity of animal sacrifices to God, but because of the quality of dedicated animal was far below what God wants. Remember about the widow's offering (Mark 12: 41-44)? Jesus said that the poor widow who put little money it actually give more than others, because of the poor widow gave of what they had, even from all over to live on. God saw the quality of our offerings.

Do we have given our best offering to God? One example is the easiest way to look at ourselves, if there are two pieces with the same nominal money in our wallet, which was a new one, and that one tattered, Where will we put in the pockets of our collections? New kah, or who are already dog-eared? When there is a plan to build a church building, and we are contributing to building materials, such as what would we give to the church building? The best kah, or the cheap? And offerings to the Lord not only in terms of material, but also due to the time for God. Have we provide the best time for God? Have we provide time for fellowship with God? If our office hours are 7:00, are not we already in the office before entering the clock? How to worship at the church an hour each? If there is worship at 9:00, if we've arrived at the church at 8.30, or even 9.30? Should not it be if we are willing to come in early to work, so we had to come in early as well to church? Let us introspect ourselves each, whether during the time we have to give the best to God. Do not let God considers us as an impostor because we give poor to God, when we are able to give their best to the Lord (verse. 14). Remember, we give our best to God not because we want God to give the best to us, but we give our best to God because God has given us the best.

Bible Reading: Malachi 1: 6-14

1: 6 A child honoring his father and a servant his master's honor. If I am a father, where is my respect to it? If I am a master, where is my fear that the it? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests who despise my name. But you say: "How have we insulted your name?"

1: 7 You bring to the blackened bread on my altar, but said: 'How we contaminate it? "By way of thought: "Table of the Lord be humiliated!"

1: 8 When you bring blind to sacrifice an animal, is not that evil? If you bring the crippled and sick animals, does not that evil? Try to present it to bupatimu, if he pleases to you, let alone greet you properly? saith the LORD of hosts.

1: 9 And now: "Try to soften the heart of God, that He might have mercy upon us!" By hand it hath been, dishes he would welcome one from you well? saith the LORD of hosts.

1:10 Had some among you who would shut the doors, lest you start a fire on my altar to useless. I do not like unto you, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will accept no offering from your hands.

1:11 For from the rising to the setting of the sun my name great among the nations, and in every place burned and offered sacrifice to my name, and also the clean grain offerings; because my name great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.

1:12 But ye defile it, as you may think: "the Lord's Table is blackened and the food there should be humiliated!"

1:13 You say: "See, how hard Worse!" and ye trouble me, saith the LORD of hosts. You bring the deprived animals, the animals were crippled and sick animals, you bring it as an offering. Will I accept this of your hand? says the Lord.

1:14 Cursed fraudster, who has a male animal among his flock, which dinazarkannya, but he offered the disabled animals to God. For I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name feared among the nations.

(source:Randite Herawan / www.renunganranditeherawan.blogspot.com)