I have to say first and foremost I had no idea what apathetic truly meant, but those good context clues helped me to figure it out. The true definition of apathetic means: showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm or concern.
I came across this impressive word while reading the introductory paragraph of the book of Malachi. This is one of the reasons why I love the student bible, because it gives more of an explanation of the book so that you may understand it better. The writer of the intro describes Malachi as trying to “cure a careless attitude [of the people]. How the Israelites became lukewarm and had basically lost interest in pleasing God.
One of the things God detested was the blemished sacrifices that were being placed before him. How His people were bringing sick and blind animals to offer, and and not the best of their herd (Malachi 1:7-8). God wouldn’t accept it, and ultimately felt disrespected! (Malachi 1:6).They figured that if I’m bringing the Lord something, it’s better than nothing. But God had to remind them that you wouldn’t offer this type of garbage to your Governor (v 8), so why do you think I would? You would be jailed for such a menial sacrifice, but I am the one who created you and blesses you and I get the leftovers?
God was probably thinking “how are you going to ask me for brand new sandals and robes, and a great harvest, yet you bring me a sick offering! I know for a fact that you’ve got a healthy fattened calf at homeI Don’t play me!” I mean, that’s what I would say ;).
So here it is, 2018, and since the birth and death of Christ of our Lord and saviour, we no longer have to literally bring sacrificial offerings to the altar. (thank goodness because I don’t think I’m gangsta enough to slaughter a cute goat). So when we worship and tithe in His house it is the equivalent. It should be our intent to praise God in His house for His blessings, and in turn leave all our burdens at the altar. I think that more than a fair trade. So are we giving God our best? Or are we going through the motions. Are your hands raised, eyes closed, and lips moving? Yet your thinking about you can’t wait to eat after church. Or you’re clapping along but you’re distracted by the cutie leading praise and worship (guilty!). We all are guilty of offering sub par worship to our father. He does exceedingly and abundantly for use, yet we offer him scraps of worship. Can you imagine if God showed disinterest in us? We would be no good.
Thank God our father is merciful, but we have to remember that this type of worship displeases him (Malachi 1:10) and God can snatch up those blessings just as quick as he gave them.
So let us stop and check ourselves. Is our worship pure and honest? Or second rate?
Jerica~
I honestly felt like I had to get older and mature in knowing him personally, to worship Him in the church with the “ultimate” praise. But, I am still guilty of turning down my contemporary christian music, worshiping with distractions and not giving my whole heart, my undivided, my best attention to Him. in the first chapter of Malachi, he gives example after example of how we give Him these small, polluted, leftovers, we are reflecting our attitude towards Him. We must give nothing but the best to Him, because that is what he gives to us!
