Days 229 & 230: Malachi 1-4, Psalm 50, Ezra 7-10

Malachi seems to be a book written primarily on the subject of worship. Specifically, it addresses the people and the priests about their sacrifices and offerings. They don't seem to be taking God seriously when they give their gifts...

"When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame 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. (Malachi 1:8)

I have often wondered about this question. I mean, what if we gave to our government the same level of service and commitment we give to the church? Ok, bad example. What about our employers? If we gave our company, or boss, (or whatever) the same quality of work and level of commitment that we give to God, how long would we have a job? When I was in youth ministry I was often frustrated by parents who seemed to put every activity a kid was involved in (sports, band, etc.) ahead of church activities. I realize that in some ways this can be a false comparison because the "activities" of the church don't always equate to service to God...but still. What does it teach our kids when the church is always considered less important? What does it say to God?

What if we really gave to God all that He deserves? What would that even look like? Perhaps the best known verse in Malachi is this one:

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it." (Malachi 3:10)

I believe that, because we are no longer under the OT law but now live in the Christian era of grace, the law of the tithe no longer applies. However, that certainly doesn't mean that we aren't required to give. In fact, if I read the Sermon on the Mount correctly, when it comes to matters of law Christ-followers go way beyond what the law requires. It's no longer a matter of external obedience but of internal transformation. That means we don't give a tithe...we give all we have and all we are to God out of gratitude, recognizing that it's all His anyway.

But really...is that how I live?

I have no need of a bull from your stall
   or of goats from your pens,
for every animal of the forest is mine,
   and the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know every bird in the mountains,
   and the insects in the fields are mine.
If I were hungry I would not tell you,
   for the world is mine, and all that is in it. (Psalm 50:9-12)