Don't live to give God a bargain - give Him the best.
2 Samuel 24:24 (NIV)
But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing."
King David was looking for a threshing floor to build an altar to God for worship so that He could break the plague that was on His people (read chapter 24 if this needs more explanation). He approaches Araunah to ask if he can buy what he needs and Araunah offers him everything he needs for absolutely nothing (read verses 21-23). Many of us would have thought, "What a mega bargain. I got that cheap!" But not David. He actually refuses not to pay. Why? Because of his revelation of worship, he knew that worship was all about giving your best not what you have left or got cheaply.
Whenever David gave (worshipped) the Lord anything he always gave him the very best - whether it was time, energy, song or finance. His worship was always based on God's worth to him. That is why he never held back. God meant everything to him.
How about us? Would we take the bargain offer? When it comes to us worshipping the Lord with who we are and what we have, will we give the bare minimum or what is considered normal, or will we be extroverts of worship, like David?
I suppose the only thing we need to really consider to determine the measure of our worship response is what God gave to us in Jesus. Did He hold back or give second best? No, Jesus was the very best and He gave Him for us, which again leaves us with a due response. Purpose in your heart that, like David, you won't give God songs, offerings, service or anything that costs you nothing. As you do, you set yourself up for a very blessed life.
Have a great weekend and don't hold back. Give the King the worship He deserves and not what you got cheap or had left over. When giving to God always remember: if you feel a seed leave your life you will always feel the harvest when it comes back.
Bless you,
Andy
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