MALACHI 1:12

“But you are profaning it by your saying, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’

I love a full table. I still have dreams of spending Thanksgiving and Christmas at my Grandma Carter’s house out in the country. There would be an army of relatives (aunts, uncles, cousins) there. And, man, the food was incredible. My Grandma knew how to fill a table with good things for us. Not to mention, her chocolate pie with 3 inch meringue on top. Woo-Wee!

These priests, however, in today’s verse were setting the wrong kind of table. “Table” here referred to the altar where the sacrifices were made. They were allowing the people to present defiled or blemished sacrifices. After all, they priests still got their portion. We should be very careful what we set before the Lord.

APPLICATION

Our “tables” need to be set daily before the Lord. Yes, Jesus paid the ultimate price as the perfect sacrifice to satisfy God’s wrath. But we still need to offer our “sacrifices” to Him. Look at Hebrews 3:15-16. “15 Through Him then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips praising His name. 16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Our sacrifices don’t require us to slaughter a lamb. No, the Lamb of God has already been sacrificed for us on the cross. Now, it is our turn to offer ourselves to God. Romans 12:1 says it well. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

So, what’s on your table? What are you sacrificing to God today. He doesn’t want just a piece of you on that altar. He demands all of you. You belong to Him as His child. That is a good place to be. So, offer yourselves to Him today completely. It is indeed a sweet aroma in His nostrils.

I give my life to You today, O Lord. Here I am, all of me.