Malachi 1:6-14

Do you like eating leftovers? Can it even compare to fresh, hot, delicious food? Are you giving God spiritual leftovers?

Israel is commanded to bring the best of its flocks for an offering. And yet, Malachi condemns the priests for deliberately offering lame and sick animals to the Lord (Mal 1:13). “You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame and sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord.” The man who does this is to be cursed, because while he has an animal without blemish, he gives God the lame, sick and unsightly. He gives God the leftovers. God has a right to be angry. “For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations,” (Mal 1:14).

In our own lives, we often give God leftovers. Work saps our energy. The television beckons. Our kids need attention. Our hobbies capture our energy and enthusiasm. Somewhere, in the midst of all of this, we might remember to give God some of our time. We rarely give Him our undivided time. He gets leftovers. A five minute Scripture reading before we doze off. A half-hearted prayer before breakfast. A bite-sized devotional at lunch. A quick twinge of guilt on Sunday morning as we purpose to do better this week. And the cycle repeats . . .

“My brethren, these things ought not so to be,” (Jas 3:10b). God deserves our best. He deserves our attention. Praise God that He sent Christ to save us from our sins! Make God your priority this week; skip the leftovers and show up for the meal instead.