No Matter What You Call Them, God Won’t Accept Them
I was reading recently about some people who had unique names for the leftovers from their Thanksgiving meals. A man who really loved sports called them replays, and somebody in the entertainment industry called them reruns. To me, the most interesting (and disturbing) designation was by a mortician. He called them remains!
There are a few of us who really do like leftovers. I look forward to them almost as much as I do the “real meal.” I, for one, never understood exactly what was meant when somebody was said to quit something “cold turkey.” I like cold turkey!
However, I serve a God who does not like and will not accept leftovers. One of the continuing and recurring themes of His word is that He expects our best — in everything. Consider, as one example, this passage:
A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised. 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.
Malachi 1:6-9
It may be that some of us need to reexamine what we offer to Him. Is He getting my very best¸ or only my leftovers? What do my checkbook, my calendar, and my level of participation in the work of the local congregation say about my devotion? Does my Lord look at my life and see that I have accepted His challenge to “…seek…first the kingdom of God…” (Matt. 6:44, emphasis added)?
God’s plan for our salvation did not include anything that was just good enough or something He just happened to think of at the last minute. His plan was eternal, and He gave the very best He had (cf. Eph. 3:11, John 3:16).
Do we really think He will accept less from us?
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AUTHOR: Jim Faughn
