Malachi 1:6-8 – 6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the LORD Almighty. “It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name.
“But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’
7 “You place defiled food on my altar.
“But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’
“By saying that the LORD’s table is contemptible. 8 When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled 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.
When I read the scripture I’m reminded that our God doesn’t appreciate scraps. There was an effort in the above scriptures, but they were offering the lowest of what they had.
It’s like the Lord walking up to your dinner table, there’s a huge meal, and you sit him to the side and pull out the cold leftovers in the fridge that is just a little out dated.
Your attitude may be, hey I made an effort here. There was no ignoring the Lord, however, you know by the example that it would be sad and not a good thing. The one who gives us life is coming to us and we give him our …..scraps.
Proverbs 3:9 – 9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;
Genesis 4:1-6 – 1 Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.
So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”
Cain was giving an offering, but he wasn’t going all out. Abel was giving the fat portions or the first born. It was probably the best he had. We all know what happened next. Sin was crouching and Cain killed Abel. Sin keeps us from giving our best to the Lord.
We need to give God our best not scraps. It matters very much.