Heather frowned as she stuck her hands deep inside her hand bag, and rummaged for a few spare change to throw into the offering basket. She slid her weary eyes over to the usher; who held out the basket with an impatient curve on her lips. Why she always looks at me that way, wondered Heather. Does she think I don’t have the money to offer?
Her frown deepened. More searching. The Usher tapped her foot. A few other members grunted. Finally, Heather smiled, as her hand brushed against a bunch of cold metal coins. Money, finally. She gripped the coins and peeped at it. In the palm of her hand was two pounds, twenty pence, exactly. A quick mental calculation later, Heather wrapped the twenty pence coin around her finger and thrust it deep into the offering basket, with a satisfied smug on her face. There, she said, relaxing to enjoy the rendition by the choir, I have paid my offering and that usher cannot say I didn’t.
Offer the right sacrifice.
If you are going to bother at all with giving an offering unto God, consider the following:
1) God does not need your money. He only advises you to give an offering to him so He can bless you. God is a giving God, and He set the perfect example by giving us His only begotten Son, Jesus as an offering of Sacrifice for our sakes.
2) You are giving to God and not MAN: Regardless of what the world tells you, fight to come out of the school of thought of those that think their offerings are going straight into the Pastor’s pocket. And so, give to God an offering to God that He alone is worthy of. Don’t grudgingly give an offering because you don’t want the Pastor to profit from it.
3) Give God the Best: It is what He deserves. The Book of Malachi is the last book in the Old Testament. Significant? You bet. After Malachi, God does not speak again for about 400 years until the new Testatment. In his message to Malachi, God expresses his disgust at the kind of offerings He was being given by the children of Israel. Malachi 1v 13:
And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;
Thus you bring an offering!
Should I accept it from your hand?
Says the Lord.
But Cursed be the deceiver, who has in his flock a male,
And takes a vow, But Sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished.
4) If your offering is stolen, sick or lame, it is an invitation to be cursed: don’t scowl at me!
I didn’t say it! Look at Malachi 1 v 14 again. Don’t be like Heather who gave a lame offering to God. Give an offering from a glad heart and that which is befitting for a King. For our God is a King.
5) Sacrifice is Not Just about Money: I am often amused at people who seem to believe that the sacrifice to God is only of financial value. Far from it. The Bible makes us understand that the following are also sacrifices to God which must be offered in a way that is pleasing an acceptable to Him:
· Your Body: Dress modestly at all times. Flee fornication and adultery.
· Your Praises: Let the Praises of God continually be in your mouth. It is a worthy sacrifice.
· A broken spirit and a contrite heart: Like David. Be quick to repent, and let your communication lines with God stay open by always confessing and forsaking your sins.
· Your gifts and talents: What has God deposited in your life for His glory? Use it for Him while you can. He’ll ask you when this journey is over why you didn’t.
· Your time in Church and in Prayer: Take an example from Jesus. He was always in the temple, and in the Place of prayer. Be a praying person. It is the only way in which we can speak to God.
Sacrificing to God is an opportunity. It is a chance to let God know that you care, and will do anything it takes to please him. And hidden in that sacrifice is a huge door for great blessings. The moment you set your heart to please God that way, God will begin to move in your life in ways you have never expected. And so, the next time you are tempted to: dress immodestly, grumble at the blessings God has given you...
The next time you harden your heart or ignore the chance to share your talent, or get to church deliberately and fashionably late...
Stop and Think. Offer the Right Sacrifice.
