Malachi 1

2 “I have loved you saith the LORD.”

God has loved us, given us His best–His Son.  He has blessed us and given us the means for perpetual joy.  God has defeated our enemies and mortally wounded Satan where he will never rise up again to harm us.  God has given us eternal life through the death of His eternal Son.

6-7 “And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar.”

But we have broken the heart of God.  While He has given us His very best, we return His kindness with our unwanted leftovers.  If we acknowledge the offering plate at all, it is only after we have filled the coffers of our debtors.  We take the blessings God has given us and given the spent the best portions of it on our own needs and wants.   Only what is left have we given to the God who gave us His own Son.

The worthless gifts we give to God testify of our contempt for Him and how we despise His commandments. How can we expect God to be pleased with such worthless gifts?  We beg for His mercy when we need it, but can we expect Him to regard us when we treat Him the way we do?

14 “for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts.”

Let our giving reflect His majesty and His greatness.   He has already given us His Son, will He not give us anything that we might need?  We honor Him by giving our best and giving the pagan world a testimony of His greatness. We have a King that is worthy to receive all honor and glory. He is worthy to receive the best we have to give.  It is a joy to give to the one who gives us everything.