A lot of thoughts have been forming in my mind around the idea of what God desires from his people. I've had the privilege of hearing great teaching on the book of Malachi at church and then coupling that with the many times God is described as a *jealous* God. Surely that isn't positive? Haven't we always heard 'jealous' in a negative connotation?
What this does reveal to us about God is that He is worthy of our complete and total allegiance, worship, and devotion. Like a passionate husband in love w/his beloved wife...He wants first place in the heart of his bride. Would we want any less passion from God? Would we want a God content to have our leftovers? Content to be ranked somewhere on our list of loves along w/family, chocolate and pets? No. Of course not. We want a jealous God. A God who loves us w/a passion He is unwilling to share for place #1 in our hearts. I want this jealous God! I want him jealous for me!
As a result of this preeminent position in our hearts and lives, he is NOT content with having our leftovers. Leftover time, leftover energy... leftover money after the bills are paid and that cell phone upgrade finalized...
The book of Malachi really inspires us to take a full inventory of how we offer the Lord our first fruits...our BEST. He's after our hearts remember...being preeminent in our hearts...foremost in our utmost being.... Offering him first fruits with joy is a way we show him that our action is where our mouth is...that our claim of his preeminence in our life is actually backed up by fruit..the best fruit...the fruit fruit.
From Malachi 1:
But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord's table may be despised. When
you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you
offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to
your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. Oh
that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might
not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the
Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. But you profane it when you say that the Lord's table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. You
bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you
bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.
Then a graphic illustration that leaves us in shock:
“ If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it." Malachi 2:3
Did God just say what I think He said? Yes, he did. Yes, it is graphic. I don't even need to comment. He said what he said. He means what He means. He is a mighty, jealous and passionate God for His People. He will have our best or nothing at all.
So what does giving our first fruits look like?
It will look different for each of us...only each person can take stock of how we each are using the time, talents and treasure that God gives us.
One area we do not typically realize is part of our devotion and first fruits is our emotions. Our emotions? How can that be? Well, I was thinking the other day about the things that stir our hearts...especially things that stir our hearts and are expressed in our words and body language. For example: politics....sports...(yes, it's football season!)...our favorite entertainer and how we can be moved to tears by a musical performance.....How does God register on our scale of emotional response? The Creator of all the Universe...who spoke the world and all we see into existence...made you...loves you...sent his Son to die for you. He deserves more passion than any of the loves in our lives. All too often we are afraid to express passionate devotion to God....folks might think we are weird...yet we have no problem expressing our passion for politics or a favorite dancer on Dancin' w/the Stars (a show I am no fan of but know is popular), or the joy in reading the latest NY Times Bestseller....where is our passion for God? "It's in my heart...I just don't show it" is usually the defense that comes...but do we ever use the same reasoning w/love for our family, hobbies, or anything else in life for that matter? Let's just be brutally honest with ourselves.
Some of us are even taught we *shouldn't* show emotions in worship. Feel them yes, but show them, no. :-) That would call attention to ourselves, perhaps be a distraction to those who like things subdued..more in line w/American worship culture (for yes, it is not biblical culture...we see in scripture that worship is highly expressive in human emotion). We might appear worldly...or worse, we might get carried away and start wailing or speaking in tongues...and we all know the verse about doing all things 'decently and in order' (which has been used so out of context over and over that it becomes the 'catch-all' for stamping out pretty much anything we don't like) LOL Well, this was my mindset not so long ago....
....but...as I began to express the passion I felt inside for God, trying to give him first fruits of my emotions, I've realized something. This is exactly why God gave us emotions. He wants our all...including our deepest emotions of awe, joy and praise. Nothing is more beautiful to him that receiving *all of us*. If people think me weird, I'm happy to be weird for God. Bring on the raised eyebrows and stares. I'll take note of how they look/speak/carry on during their favorite show or sports event, then we'll talk. ha ha ha...
He is our Jealous God. I wonder how he feels to see us more carried on the wings of joy and elation by superficial non-important things in this life than by his Son who He gave for us. It's something to think about. I wonder which offerings he wishes to smear my face with. I have to contemplate this if I am to take inventory of my offerings before him.
From I Chronicles 16: 28-34
"Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come before him!
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth;
yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,
and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy
before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!"
May we offer Him...Sovereign God of all the Universe.... our all and may He alone receive the First Fruits of ourselves. To Him be the glory forever...amen.
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