"Yeah, that's good enough!"

I'm a perfectionist... sometimes... in those things about which I really care. I was working on leaf clean-up in my yard with a friend on Saturday. As he was using the blower to get the leaves out of the shrubbery around the house, there were little pockets of leaves left here and there. I told him - "You don't have to broom sweep it. That's good enough." I like my lawn mowed and neat, but I'm quite content to just do what is necessary, no more. You won't find me spending a lot of time on the details. My car is another matter. I keep it clean; washed on the outside, wiped down inside on a weekly basis- and I'm quite particular about the way it's done. The way a lawn is kept or the maintenance of a car is not a major matter, is it? These are just personal preferences that come from our training and personalities.

There is one area in life where excellence is demanded from all of us, at all times, and where the statement, "Yeah, that's good enough!" has no place. Where might that be? Let an ancient Scripture give a clue. It's lengthy and refers to another time and form of worship but the principle comes shining through to us - clear as crystal!

• The Lord Almighty says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. I am your father and master, but where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have despised my name! ... “You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord Almighty. ...
  
  “I wish that someone among you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not at all pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will not accept your offerings. ...
  
  “But you dishonor my name with your actions. By bringing contemptible food, you are saying it’s all right to defile the Lord’s table. You say, ‘It’s too hard to serve the Lord,’ and you turn up your noses at his commands,” says the Lord Almighty. “Think of it! Animals that are stolen and mutilated, crippled and sick—presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?” asks the Lord. “Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is feared among the nations! Malachi 1:5-14 NLT

This Scripture emerges from a time when things were going well for the Jewish nation and as a result, passion for God had cooled. The temple worship was done as a matter of obligation, rather than as a matter of love. Instead of regarding their worship of Yahweh as a privileged honor, they thought it a burden. The result was that they did the minimum they felt was required to keep up appearances. Their hearts were not in what they did! And God was offended by what He sees as contempt for His Person!

When a person cuts corners in those things he does in service to God, when he offers half-hearted worship, when he fails to fully honor God in thought, word, and deed- it is an offense to the Holy One.

Do you teach that Sunday School class to the best of your ability?
When you write your offering check, is it a minimum amount or a generous gift that honors God?
When you come to worship do you come exhausted from staying up 'til mid-night watching TV or with a refreshed heart and mind that is ready to sing, to pray, to hear the Word?
In your daily worship what is your motivation- to spend enough time and stay focused until you meet God or just to check off the box that says, "Duty fulfilled"?

God desires the best, the first, the costly - because He deserves it. And He promises: "if you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul." Deut. 4:29 NIV

Let's never be content to say, "Yeah, that's good enough for God!" Rather let's passionately serve Him, as is fitting for the Majestic Lord.
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