What if you unexpectedly received an invitation to have dinner with a celebrity? I do not consider myself to be the 'star-struck' kind, then again, I have never actually met a celebrity so who knows. However, if I were asked to have dinner with someone famous I think that I would probably take extra care to get ready for the event. I would probably wear my best outfit, maybe even shop for a new one. I would want to look my very best. What if you had company over for the evening? When we have people over I always go the extra mile to make sure the house looks just so. Make sure the dust bunnies took the night off and the toilets all got flushed. Tell the kids to be on their best behavior and the dogs to stop barking. I want everything to be just right.
What about at church on Sundays? We may fight with our spouse or argue with the kids the entire drive to church, but we walk in the door with a giant smile on our face and kind words for our fellow church goers. Our Bible may have set on the bookshelf all week long, but we dust if off for Sunday morning. We have to put up just the right appearance.
"'When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?' says the Lord Almighty." Malachi 1:8
While reading Malachi this really hit me hard. God was to get a acceptable male from the flock, but they we offering blemished sacrifices instead. How many times do we do that?
My church is a very laid back church, which I love. We want everyone to feel welcome and accepted. That is great! But in that, I feel I personally have become lazy. If I am dressing better for a night out with the family than I am for God, or if I would dress better for meeting a 'celebrity' than for God, there is a problem.
We need to take care of our home. Organization and structure are important. But if I am organizing everything but my spiritual life, there is a problem. If we are putting on a smile and giving out kind words to everyone, but in the quiet of our home we have an ugly attitude, there is a problem.
God deserves our best. Our very best. He needs to be our top priority. I want God to get my best attitude and my best efforts. Today, let's evaluate our lives. Pray and ask God to show you where you are putting Him on the back burner and make an effort to change that. Let's give God our best!
Sweet Blessings~
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Amen! I remember many times when Satan has caused havoc on a Sunday morning or a Wednesday night! And, just like you said, we walked in the door and had these big smiles on and pretended everything was ok! How we must have grieved God! Prayerfully, we have come to understand who is causing those kinds of things and we 'stomp on his head!' God deserves geniune worship and honesty...not a plastered on smile.
ReplyDeleteYou have a great post and so much truth in it. I believe we would all do like you said you would. We need to always show and give the very best to our Lord, it should be Him first. Thanks so much for the reminder as I have come short of doing this and I am ashamed.
ReplyDeleteThoughts, words, actions. Thats what our pastor talked about yesterday. He asked, are your thoughts, words, actions reflective of Jesus. Do they bring honor to him. I felt totally convicted because before church I had not so nice words, not so nice actions, and not so nice thoughts about my family. "Those tights dont match that dress...change those clothes!" You cant go looking like this! UGH. Nice dose of conviction served right up to me.
ReplyDeleteP.S. you know if you had a celebrity over there would be at least ONE toilet that didnt get flushed...there always is!;))
Ouch... Well Jenifer, I know I've certainly been guilty of this now and again. You're absolutely right in that God sees how we act not only when we're in Church or in public, but in private situations as well. Thanks for the wonderful reminder!
ReplyDeleteHave a Blessed Day!
I just heard Dr. Tony Evans on my way home and he was talking about tithing and how we usually just give out of our leftovers...how true is that?! It is for me anyway. This hit me hard. I expect Him to give me his best, but I'm not willing to give him mine...hhmmm...
ReplyDeleteHi Jenifer,
ReplyDeleteI love the beautiful photo of you and your hubby! Beautiful!
You have made some VERY good points. I agree with all of them. We have been going to our current church for nearly a year now and we have done our best to give to it our talents and our money as well. Recently I asked the Pastor's wife if I could please fix up the flower arrangement that sits in front of the pulpit, she said I could and went out and purchased a lovely metal urn for the flowers that I completely rearranged. I hadn't actually ever done a flower arrangement before, but I felt pretty confident that I could, so I did and I love it. It makes our sanctuary so much prettier. I felt like I would not have had that messy one in my home, so how could I tolerate it in my church. I know the others do their best, but I felt that I needed to, too. I was very careful not to step on anybody's toes, because that does not accomplish anything either.
I agree with the point of dressing up, I question people's love for God and respect for the house of God when I see them all dressed up for a night on the town, or even a dentist appointment, but wear their slouchies to church.
I believe in giving God my BEST! I love what you have said today, you are SO right.
Hugs, Cindy