DAILY REFLECTIONS

SUNDAY, 21st August, 2016

THEME: THE POLLUTERS

TEXT: Malachi 1

Day - Galatians 4 , Night- Eccl 1-4

Memory Verse: Malachi 1:7 "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"

MESSAGE

How would you feel if the person sitting near you in a church service brought out a mobile phone to take a call while service was on-going? Or worse still, if the choice was to read the dailies. The truth is that some 'worshippers' actually do these and even more outrageous things. The carelessness and irreverence with which some people approach God are taken to ridiculous levels at times.

In bringing the Israelites into a covenant relationship with Himself, God had given instructions on how he should be approached and worshipped. He had meticulously enumerated the types of sacrifices accepted to Him and the manner of offering such sacrifices, as recorded in Leviticus. The people, however, incurred the wrath of God from time to time by their irreverent manner of worship. Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, were not spared when they offered profane fire before the Lord (Lev. 10:1-2).

God challenged Israel when He asked "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?." (Malachi 1:.

When we disrupt a service with our lateness, when we chat during divine service and engage in other irreverent acts, we constitute a distraction to other worshippers and risk the wrath of God.

HYMN: EMHB 550 - O for a heart to praise my God

PRAYER: Lord, make my heart Your royal throne. Amen.