3/18

Leviticus 22:21

²¹And when anyone offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering from the herd or from the flock, to be accepted it must be perfect; there shall be no blemish in it.

When an Israelite brought an offering to the LORD, it had to be perfect, without any blemishes. You couldn't take the sick or injured animal from your flock that was worthless to you. It reminds me of some of the things donated to churches. When a family buys a new thing to replace an old worn out thing, they offer the worn out thing to the church. It saves them a trip to the landfill.

God doesn't want our leftovers. He is worthy of our very best. He has given His best to us in giving us His Son. To give Him anything less than our best is insulting. Think of it this way; if someone gave you a week of their time to help you in a time of need, would you thank them with a hotdog lunch? The thanks we give should represent how grateful our heart is. If we give some inexpensive leftover, we are merely showing how little we appreciate their sacrifice.

God had redeemed the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt, saved them from their enemies, given rules to help them have order and health, and provided their food every day. Hasn't He done the same for us spiritually, which is even more important? What are you giving that shows your gratitude? For many of us, time is our most valuable commodity. Whatever our gift is, it reveals the level of gratitude in our heart.

Consider: When was the last time you gave out of gratitude to God? What did it reveal about your heart? Ponder how gracious God has been to you.