Inferior worship?

It’s not hard to tell the difference between just doing what needs to be done and engaging with real passion! My son, Sean, loves coffee and it shows. I just make a cup of coffee. He creates a drink to savor! He takes pride in the freshness of the beans and getting the grind just right. Most mornings, I just want a caffeine delivery system! My neighbor loves his yard, carefully trimming, raking, mowing, spraying; and it shows in a lawn that looks like a golf course. I just mow mine and trim where necessary. He wants a beautiful lawn; I’m content with an acceptably mowed one. When I prepare to speak, I never just ‘get up and talk off the top of my head.’ I think, pray, plan, write and re-write, with the goal of moving my audience to take action. Why? I am passionate about communication!

Here’s a pointed question for us today:
how do we serve God, with leftover time, just to meet minimal expectations,
or as a first-line priority because of our passion for Him?

God saw that the people were just going through the motions of worship and challenged them through the words of the prophet Malachi. Take a look at excerpts from that passage:
"The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name! “But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?’" (Malachi 1:6, NLT)
"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 of Heaven’s Armies." (Malachi 1:8, NLT)
“How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “and I will not accept your offerings." (Malachi 1:10, NLT)
“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 of Heaven’s Armies, “and my name is feared among the nations!" (Malachi 1:13-14, NLT)

Direct application of that passage is impossible since we no longer bring sacrificial animals to a temple! But, the principle is not hard to discern, is it? Do we give God the best part of our life or the leftovers? Does He get our attention in prayer or just sleepy words? Do we do ministry in prime time or just ‘fit it in’ as conveniently as possible? “Shut the Temple doors!” He says. “If you won’t give the best, then don’t go through the motions!”
Jesus challenges us on the same principle. “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!" (Revelation 3:15-16, NLT)

If we want a God-blessed life, if we want to enjoy His favor and know the fullness of joy that Jesus promises, we cannot do what we think is the minimum; we must give Him the first, the best, ‘our utmost for His highest.’ (Oswald Chambers)

Here’s a thought to ponder -
Would you want God to love you in the same way that you love Him?

______________________

Give me one pure and holy passion,
Give me one magnificent obsession.
Jesus give me one glorious ambition for my life.
To know and follow hard after You

To know and follow hard after You,
To grow as Your disciple in the truth.
This world is empty, pale, and poor,
Compared to knowing You my Lord.
Lead me on and I will run after You.

One Pure And Holy Passion
Altrogge, Mark

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