An Unsacrificial Sacrifice

Deuteronomy 17:1 Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God. God deserves our best. It really isn't unreasonable at all when you simply think about Who it is that you are giving to. Would I feed table scraps to royalty that was a guest at my home? Of course I wouldn't! I would try my best to offer the best meal that I could possibly provide. What an insult it must have been to God when an Israelite would leave his best sheep at home, and bring one that was lame or diseased to offer as a sacrifice to God. A sacrifice that isn't sacrificial says that God is no big deal and that He isn't worth the trouble. Surely we would never do that would we? I'm afraid that people do it more often than they would like to admit it. We don't bring crippled animals to God any more, but isn't it the same if we only give God what is left after we spend our resources on our own desires? What if there is nothing left? Does God have to wait until next time? When does the cycle ever end? The cycle is broken when we begin to value God as worthy of our best. Not just our money, but also our time, talents and every resource that God has seen fit to bless us with. Make a commitment today that God will no longer get the scraps from your table, the last appointment on your planner, and the coins under the sofa. Give Him your best, and give it first!