Giving God The Worst

“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. Malachi 1:13

Every day people go to work for someone else. At the workplace, many people do not give their best in working. They do the very minimum required, if even that, and then they complain about having to work at all. Only a few really give their best in their work.

Malachi records God telling the people that they complain about giving offerings to Him. They bring stolen, lame, or sick offerings. God then asks if He should accept them.

People like to work in order to gain more for themselves. Work is all about self-increase, not for the employer or anyone else. It is a benefit for the individual.

It is often in the same way with giving. People will give, but as little as possible, just to look good. Throughout the church, many will give some money, time or talents, but it is often as little as possible, or it will be the leftovers.

All the best hard work is focused upon making money. When it comes to the church, the minimum is given, since one is already worn out from work for pay.

Instead of giving the best to the world or self, believers are to give their best to God. Jesus sacrificed His life so that one may live. The believer must be willing to sacrifice one’s life and best for God and His kingdom.

If the believer chooses to give the leftovers, God may not accept it or bless it. He is seeking one’s best, one’s whole life, not the minimum.

Each day you go to work, you have a choice as to how hard you work, and what you will give of yourself to that work. If you give your best, the employer will see it and honor it. However, if you don’t give your best, that will also be seen and dealt with.

In the same way, you need to give your best to God. Trust God to meet all of your needs as you pour out your whole life to Him. Jesus sacrificed His all for you, what will you sacrifice for Him?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will recognize what God has given you; that you will give your best to God; and that you will be a living sacrifice unto God in all that you do.

Purchase Tom’s New Daily Devotional Here!

This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Insights from Tom

About the Author

Tom Arn is happily married for 30 years to his wonderful wife Cammie. They are blessed by God with eight wonderful children and one grandchild. Tom has worked as a children’s pastor, senior pastor, and many times (and currently) as a Sunday School Teacher. He has a General Ministries degree with a Bible College. He started doing a short devotional type Bible study on Facebook in 2014, going through the books of the Bible chapter by chapter, section by section. Tom writes what he feels God is placing on his heart.

Bio & Posts