God is a good Father who longs for a deep relationship with His children. Because His love is so great, He gave us His very best when He sent Jesus. He didn’t send a slave or a servant. He sent His only son. But how is the love on our end? Are we also giving Him our best?
In any good relationship love, respect, and honor flows back and forth. When we love someone deeply, giving them our first and best is no problem. But if our relationship with God has become all about following rules or checking off a to-do list, something’s wrong.
Living from relationship or religion?
In Malachi 1 we see how the relationship between the Israelites and God was off. They started relating to God out of religion and following rules, rather than out of love and respect. They only did the bare minimum the rules required and they brought polluted offerings, in the form of lame and blind animals.
We see it as well, in the difference between Cain and Abel’s offerings to God (Gen. 4). Abel brought God an offering of the first and the best, which shows that he loved God and wanted to honor Him. But Cain only brought an offering of some of his labor. So, how was Cain’s relationship with God?
When our relationship with God becomes more about doing than being, the motivation falls. We might spend time reading His word or praying, but do we give it our best – or is it just something we do to be “good Christians”? We might tithe and give in the offering, but do we give our first and best, led by the Holy Spirit – or do we do it just because we have to?
It’s not much of a relationship if it has come to that. Like a friend or a spouse who just spends time with you to check off an item on their list. Or who only gives you gifts, because they feel they have to.
The blessings of a loving relationship
Even in Malachi we see how God longs to be honored as a Father. But He doesn’t ask for our first and best, because He wants us to follow some rules and be slaves to religion. On the contrary, He longs to be in a good relationship with us, where we give because we are compelled by love.
But we can only get to that point in our relationship with God, when we are willing to let go of the check marks and our getting-it-over-with attitude. When we really take time to listen to the Holy Spirit, and open up our hearts to Him. When we are willing to go deep. To get to know Jesus and talk about the hard stuff, and when we allow Him to come all the way into our hearts. Only a heart-to-heart connection creates a deep relationship.
When we can live in that kind of loving relationship with God, the desire to give Him our best will flow freely. And we see all over scripture, how He promises us the blessings of that kind of relationship.
“But for you who fear My name [with awe-filled reverence] the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go forward and leap [joyfully] like calves [released] from the stall.” (Mal 4:2 AMP)
Again, it comes back to joy! In a deep loving relationship with our Father, we can’t help but give Him the best and honor Him. And He in turn, gives the best back to us – a life where joy is always available.
