Diving Deeper

Recently, we studied Malachi at church. Malachi is tough, but something I think all believers need to be reminded of. God doesn't want our leftovers - our trash. He wants the best that we have to offer and sometimes that isn't so easy. Perhaps that is why it's called sacrifice.  Just going through the motions doesn't get it either. God desires authentic worship - a heart connected to the motions. In Malachi He asked that they just stop sacrificing. He preferred nothing at all to the junk they were offering.

We can't be a light in a 'dark world', royal priests, if we aren't giving God our very best. We must pursue God - follow hard after Him, lean heavily on Him. God is not pleased with half-hearted worship - apathetic worship - yet He will still pursue His own and He longs for the day when they/we will return. However, He did get FED UP with them and I think He gets FED UP with us.

God begins to call them (the Israelite priests) back to be the priests they were originally called to be - individuals who hold the knowledge and truth about God - His ways, His character - so that they could wisely and soundly counsel others. Today, the body of Christ lacks a depth to our knowledge of God. We can't fulfill our 'priestly duties' if we don't know scripture, if we don't possess a deep knowledge and truth about God. We can't be a "moral and ethical compass" (love this Pastor Keith!) or impart wisdom or provide sound counsel to others if we aren't disciplined enough to study scripture. 

So as I'm diving deeper, I'm going to encourage you to do the same. Give God your best and work towards being the 'royal priest' He has called you to be.