Scripture - Mal 1:12-14"But you profane it, In that you say,'The table of the LORD is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.' 13 You also say,'Oh, what a weariness!'And you sneer at it,"Says the LORD of hosts."And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?"Says the LORD. 14 "But cursed be the deceiver Who has in his flock a male, And takes a vow, But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished — For I am a great King,"Says the LORD of hosts,"And My name is to be feared among the nations.
Observation - Malachi is putting an end to the people bringing less than the best to God. They have been bringing wounded offering, offerings that are the last thought or those with blemishes and spotted and broken down. Malachi says that they say "Oh, what a weariness". That even the offing that is being brought to the table is challenging to bring and they are complaining that they have to bring anything at all. God is saying here - "Wait a minute, do you remember who I am" I am the great King. I am the your God. I am the Lord of all. I deserve the very best you have. I deserve to have the very best you can offer. Come with great pleasure not holding anything back and offer me the greatest of your praise and the fullness of your heart. Give me the very best and I will bless you with the very best. God wants us to bring the greatest that we have to Him.
Application - It can become such a chore to bring ourselves to God. To continue day in and day out bringing ourselves before the Lord. To offer the greatest when we feel the worst. To bring with weariness and out of obligation is to bring a profane offering. We should bring with joy and with gladness of heart. God wants to bless us with the very best of his kingdom. He wants to give us the very best that He has and wants the very best we have...
Prayer - God, never let me bring you less than my very best. I do not want to bring the profane before you. I don't want to defile the offering. God make it pure...
