Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Profaning before God

Scripture: Malachi 1:12
"But you are profaning it, in that you say, 'The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.'

Insights: The third commandment given by God was to not take His name in vain (Ex. 20:7).  The taken of His name in vain is not just verbal defilement.  If something is designated to be His and we treat it in an unholy manner, we are still taking the name of the Lord in vain.  Here is what profaning, taking something in vain, means: It means to desanctify it and make it unholy by treating it as “common, insignificant, or worthless.”  John Calvin helps us understand this concept in his commentary.  He wrote, “The holiness of the table ought to have been so regarded by the Jews, as not to approach the sanctuary without true repentance and faith; they ought to have known that they had to do with God, and that His majesty ought to have deeply touched them.  When therefore they came to the temple, and brought with them their uncleanness like swine, it was quite evident that they had no reverence for the temple, or the altar, or the table.  According to this sense then are the words of the Prophet to be understood,—not that the Jews openly mocked God, but that the holiness of the temple was with them of no account.”  Did you catch that last part, “… the holiness of the temple was with them of NO ACCOUNT!”  They made it common, insignificant and worthless.  This truth has major ramifications as to how we approach worship.  When we are driving to church on what are our thoughts?  During the service itself, do we say things to ourselves like, “I really don’t like that music” or “It’s too cold in here” or “why does the sound have to be that loud” or “I wish the preacher would just quit preaching so we can go eat some lunch”?  If we are having mental conversations like that during our “worship experience,” then we are profaning the Lord table.  We are making Him common, insignificant and of worthless value.  If we are attending for any ulterior motivation, then our worship is not on God and it is defiled.  Beloved, turn your heat to God and give Him pure worship!

Questions:
  1. Is God just a common “thing” in your life?
  2. When you are worshipping are you truly thinking about God or is your mind constantly wondering and leaving the Lord?
Prayer: Father, forgive me when I do not seek You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.  I desire for my worship to be pure and holy and not just common.  May You be pleased with my worship today.  Amen

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