All or nothing

Read Malachi 1:2,3; Genesis 2:1-16

How much are we willing to give? How much do we treasure our faith? What are the things we most cherish?

The first murder recorded in the Bible is that of Abel by Cain. It all started when the brothers each brought an offering to God, but God only accepted the offering of Abel. Was it Cain's offering itself God rejected? It doesn't seem so. God talks to Cain and asks why he's angry. God tells Cain that he will only be accepted if he does what is right. It is apparent that Cain didn't bring his offering for the right reason, or there was some sin in his life that he was trying to hide. 

The story of Jacob and Esau carries a similar theme. Esau sold his birthright for a meal. He didn't value what God had given him. The promise given to his grandfather Abraham didn't mean as much to him as his immediate need, so God rejected him. God gave Esau's birthright to his younger brother.

If we study the history of Israel, we see the same story of rejection played out. It went so far that when the long awaited Messiah,  the promised Savior arrived, the descendants of Jacob rejected Him. Jesus was killed, rose from the dead, and a new fellowship of believers began. The scriptures are clear; however, that because of God's promise to Abraham, He has not forgotten the chosen house of Jacob.

But the pattern of rejection doesn't stop there. In the early days of the Church, a couple named Ananias and Saphira sold some property, then pretended to give the whole amount to the Apostles. God saw their sin and rejected them both.

The pattern continues today. We persist in valuing other things than what God values. We get distracted by things that don't really matter. Here in the United States, we have a relatively easy life. That's part of the problem. We don't give God all that He asks for, our hearts aren't really in it, our sacrifices aren't given from a heart of praise, and we gladly trade our birthright for passing pleasure.

The apostle John recorded God's charge to the church in Laodicea. This church had become apathetic. they started to value things that don't matter at all. They became obsessed with earthly wealth and didn't really feel they needed God, but they still went to Church on Sundays, just in case. Sound familiar?

What we own doesn't matter, it's what owns us that matters. If we give everything we have in the service of Christ, we gain everything that there is of value. If we chase after what this world has to offer, we end up with nothing.