Contemplative Bible Reading

Malachi 1:8 (New Living Translation)

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.

If you are of a certain age, you may recognize the title of this post. “Sunday best” referred to clothing that was kept aside to wear only on Sunday when attending church services. You “looked good” and “respectful” when going to the church building.

Of course this “Sunday best” was misused by some. In some places, if a boy didn’t have a tie, he was not allowed in the church building, and if a girl didn’t wear a dress, she was barred as well.

Misused? Yes. Of no merit? No.

We read verses such as from Malachi above. God didn’t need animals. God created all animals. God desired a sacrifice. That means giving something to God that means something to me.

I can give God all the cauliflower in the grocery store. That stuff means nothing to me. As far as I am concerned, cauliflower is a waste of everything. God can have it all!

Silly example.

Perhaps we should think about what we wear to the church building. “This is good enough for God” has replaced “Sunday best.” Perhaps we have swung a bit too far in the other direction. Of course we can misuse all this and abuse other people with my interpretation of sacrifice.

And perhaps my words above are all jumbled and sound wrong. I apologize for my failings. Please don’t be angry with me, but pray for me. And please God, help me in my unbelief.