A Devotional - Despising the Name of God

Malachi 1:6,

"A Son honors his father, and a servant his master. 'If then I am a father,
where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear?' says the LORD of
hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, 'How have we despised
your name?'" (ESV)

Malachi's audience is the last hope for Israel. But, they 'despised the name of God.' The very fact the priests were either ingnorant, or indifferent, to this serious charge exxacerbates the depth of contempt for God in Israel at the time. The sins of the remnant people of Israel catalogued in the Book of Malachi include:

• Allowing the Ammonites and Moabites into the assembly for worship
• Renting out the storage rooms of the temple
• Taking the articles out of the house of God
• Priests forsaking their work, since the people did not give as God directed
• Failing to observe the Sabbath
• Intermarriage with the Gentile nations
• Defiling the priesthood and the covenant of the Levites
• Polluting the temple with pagan articles of worship

Here's how it happens:

The people of Israel doubted God's love (1:1-5). And, from doubt of God's love grew indifference and contempt. "What have you done for me lately?" may have stated the attitude well. So, the people set about Doing for themselves, and giving God the left-overs, a obligatory, ritual worship that lacked any real devotion. The prophet cries out,

"Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not
kindle fire on my altar in vain! 'I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of
hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.'" (1:10, ESV)

• Am I giving God my best? Is my life with God a life of devotion?
• Or, am I just going through the motions, and giving God just what I think is enough to make a good appearance?
• God doesn't want my left-overs. He wants my all. And he wants your all too.