Give Him the Honour Due to Him
ICS Daily Devotions
Malachi 1:6-8 (NKJV) “A son honours his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honour? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’ “You offer defiled food on My altar, But say, ‘In what way have we defiled You?’ By saying, ‘The table of the LORD is contemptible.’ And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favourably?” Says the LORD of hosts.
Everyone should give honour when honour is due. Scripture teaches us to honour our parents. We honour them by holding them in high esteem, loving, and respecting them. We are to honour them in words and deed. We obey our parents because we honour them.
God demands the proper honour due to Him, as shown in His dealings with the corrupt priests in this passage. In His holiness, God has revealed to the Jewish people that the way to approach Him is through the shedding of the blood of an unblemished lamb. The lamb must be thoroughly inspected to confirm it is without blemish before being offered at the altar.
We are called to honour God through our tithes and freewill offerings, given out of love and obedience. We seek to honour Him by giving the best, out of gratitude for all Jesus Christ has done for us.
Money was our master before we were saved, but God should be our master after we are saved. We cannot serve two masters, because we will prioritise and trust one over the other. Giving the best that we have with the money that God has given us is an expression of His Lordship, declaring our dependence on Him and breaking the shackles of the control of money over our lives.
When we truly seek to worship Jesus, we will hold nothing back but offer Him our very best. True worship creates space for the work of God to advance in our lives.
Proverbs 3:9-10 (NKJV) Honour the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
It is consistent in Scripture that we should give God the best, whether it is an unblemished lamb or the produce of the land. The first fruits, the best, and not the leftovers of the harvest should be set aside to honour the Lord. Our giving reveals our hearts’ attitude towards God. We are called to offer what brings Him glory and reflects the worthiness of His name.
Reflection: In your daily life, what are some specific ways you can more intentionally honour God with your time, finances, and talents? What practical change can you make this week to offer God your best rather than what is convenient?
Sermon Series: Worshipping the King of kings
