email : Webview : Duane Brooks - Every Day with Jesus

December 13, 2018

Malachi 1:8
"When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty.

New International Version (NIV)

                  Do you like leftovers? Some say that certain foods are even better the next day. Just between us, I am not convinced. I love food made fresh. Even the best food loses something with a day in the refrigerator. Yes. Even Lasagna.

                You have heard about the person who called the Butterball Turkey hotline to ask if a twenty year old turkey, frozen solid would still be good to eat. After some discussion, the Butterball factory representatives answered, “The turkey will not harm you but it will not be as good as it would have been in the first year.” The caller concurred, “That is what I thought. I’ll give it to the church.”

               “With what shall we come before the Lord?” asked the prophet Micah, earnestly. By the time Malachi began to preach the people had reverted to giving God the leftovers of their lives. They saw their opportunities to give as mere duties to be fulfilled. “I have ten new goats. I owe God one. I will choose the one which shows the least promise.” So they went to worship and fulfilled their duty, but they were not happy about it. Never mind that the secular authority would never receive that goat as an acceptable tax payment. God must have seemed greedy to them to expect more.

                What are we giving to God? Our first fruits or the leftovers of our lives? Why does God deserve our very best anyway? Because when he sent his only Son that first Christmas and let him die on that fateful, first Good Friday, God was giving us his very best. Nothing less. In gratitude let us give God our best in every way today.

Pray with me:

Father, forgive me for offering you the leftovers of my time, my talents and my treasures. Reveal to me today what I might bring as I come before you. You have given me my whole life. Today I give it back to you, deliberately, consciously, sacrificially. Here is my whole life, as a living sacrifice. Take what you will. I am satisfied just to be your child. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This year we focus our Every Day with Jesus readings on Jesus’ story. With references to Tallowood's Read Through the Bible in 2018 daily reading plan, let's focus our undivided attention on Jesus and follow where he lead. He will not fail. Neither will we!
Joyfully,
Duane

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