“You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish, any defect whatever, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God.” – Deuteronomy 17:1
Thankfully for everyone involved, this rule governing animal sacrifices no longer applies! We don’t have to keep or purchase animals to sacrifice to God because He gave His Son, Jesus, to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Jesus was the perfect, sinless Lamb of God Who died for the sins of the world. Therefore, we don’t have to make sure our sacrificial animals are physically perfect before offering them. What a relief!
HOWEVER, this verse expresses a timeless principle that absolutely applies to every follower of Jesus. Throughout the Bible, from beginning to end, a clear principle is taught: God deserves, and should receive, our best. Because God is the source of all our blessings and because He sacrificed His eternal Son on our behalf, we owe Him our best. Whatever we give to God in terms of our precious time, extraordinary talents, and earthly treasures MUST be our best.
God is worthy of it all! It’s profoundly inappropriate to give Him the scraps and leftovers of our lives. Take a moment to think about what you give to God. In terms of your time. In terms of your energy and ability. In terms of your finances. Are you giving Him your first and best? Are you giving Him the crumbs that fall from your table? Are your offerings to God worthy of Who He is and what He’s done for you?