COMMITMENT

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. —Malachi 1:6-8

You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?” —Malachi 2:17

Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. —Malachi 3:7-8

For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. —Malachi 4:1

They committed to a small group, but rarely showed up. Others committed to a local church, but came when nothing else was going on in their lives. Some said they would help out regularly in ministry, but only came on occasion. People’s best time was spent doing things other than serving the Lord. Those who professed knowing Jesus were even saying those doing evil were actually being good. Not only that, but those who say they truly love the Lord were not even giving to Him the minimum of what He desires— the tithe, but they can buy at the drop of a hat anything their heart desires. Judgment is coming and just as none will escape death, so none will escape judgment.

In the above verses we read, “Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor?” Do we offer to the Lord God Almighty that which we would not even offer to a government official? Are we accepting the world’s philosophy of believing that ““Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them” and in a real sense have become universalists? Is it accurate to say we have robbed God “In your tithes and contributions” as His Word says? Judgment is coming! For those who do not know the Lord Jesus, it is going to be “a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31; Revelation 20:15). For those of us who know Jesus, we will give an account of how we lived our lives for Him and He will be looking to reward us for faithfulness. How grateful we should be that Jesus took the condemnation for us and we will never experience it, but we can experience loss of reward if we do not life faithfully for Him (II Corinthians 5:10; I Corinthians 3:10-15).

The illustration is given of a little girl who had a dreadful disease and would die without a blood transfusion. The only one who was a match was her little brother. The doctor as if he was willing to give his blood so his sister could live. For a moment he had a concerned look on his face, but quickly said yes with a smile. As the transfusion was in progress the little boy turned and smiled at his sister and then turned toward the doctor and said, “How long will it be before I die?” The little boy misunderstood and thought he had committed to his own death by thinking we was giving all his blood to save his sister!

Are we truly committed to being and doing what pleases the Lord? Do we give Him our best or the leftovers? Are we truly looking forward to seeing Jesus?
Please Father, help me, through Your Spirit, to be and do what You desire!