Malachi 1:8

And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?” Says the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 1:8

When God commanded Israel to bring a lamb to the altar as an offering in Leviticus 22, He commanded them to bring only those that were without spot or blemish. Perfect. Because the purpose was to foreshadow Jesus, the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. 

Here in Malachi, God had to rebuke His people, they were offering the lame and sick from their flocks. God rhetorically asks if it would be acceptable for them to offer this to their governor? Of course not! So, they shouldn’t think that it would be acceptable to Him either. He calls it evil. 

God deserves our best. We may not offer sacrificial lambs anymore, but we live now as spiritual sacrifices as Romans 12:1 says “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” So, God deserves our very best in: worship, ministry service, prayer, and love towards others. 

It can be easy to fall into habits, and easy to allow routine to run our day. But it’s important to stop every once in a while, to make sure when we serve or worship that our heart is right and our offerings are pure.

Giving Him my best,

Pastor David Reeves