8月8日

標　　題：獻上最好

經　　節：凡有殘疾，或有什麼惡病的牛羊，你都不可獻給耶和華你的神，因為這是耶和華你神所憎惡的。（申命記十七章1節）

神的愛促使祂犧牲自己最寶貝的獨子。如果真的瞭解祂對我們的愛，我們的回應必是渴望把自己最好的獻給神。

舊約聖經揭示，神定規獻給祂的祭必須符合最高標準。百姓要花上一些代價，才能付出有價值的獻禮。但百姓的心遠離神，開始捨不得獻給神貴重的禮物。他們帶來瞎眼、瘸腿和有殘疾的牲畜，以為神分不出它們的不同（瑪拉基書一：8）。神看到他們的行為，宣告他們的獻祭無效（瑪拉基書一：10）。在整個舊約時代，神為祂的愛子鋪設舞臺，祂那最完美、無罪的愛子，要成為全人類罪之獻祭。

我們對神的獻禮反映出我們的心態。一顆對神的大愛洋溢著感恩的心，會無私地獻上禮物。如果不想獻上自己的時間、所有物、金錢和精力，顯示出我們並沒有照神的希望，回應祂的愛。神所喜悅的人，是那些全心樂意奉獻的、瞭解神是其所有之源頭的、知道神會賜予比獻禮更豐盛的（哥林多後書九：8）。

如果捨不得把自己最好的東西獻給神，不妨稍微停下來，默思神為你付出犧牲的代價。相信祂，並且把最好的獻給祂，因為你全心全意地愛祂。

Giving Your Best

You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God a bull or sheep which has any blemish or defect, for that is an abomination to the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 17:1)

God’s love moved Him to sacrifice that which meant the most to Him—His only Son. Our response, if we truly understand His love for us, is the desire to give back to God that which means the most to us.

The Old Testament reveals that God set forth high standards for the sacrifices He required of His people. A worthy sacrifice had to cost the people something. As their hearts shifted away from God, the people began struggling to give God costly offerings. They would bring blind, lame, and sick animals, assuming God could not tell the difference (Mal. 1:8). God saw what they were doing and declared their offerings to be in vain (Mal. 1:10). Throughout the Old Testament period, God was setting the stage for the ultimate, perfect, and sinless sacrifice of His Son for the sins of humanity.

The offerings we give back to God reveal our hearts’ condition. A heart that overflows with gratitude for God’s love will respond in selfless devotion. If we are unwilling to sacrifice our time, our possessions, our money, or our energy, we indicate that we do not love God as He desires. God takes delight in the person who gives to Him cheerfully out of a loving heart, a person who understands that God is the source of everything he has and who knows that God will more than compensate for whatever is sacrificed for Him (2 Cor. 9:8).

If you struggle in giving your best offerings to God, pause and reflect on what God sacrificed for you. Trust Him and give Him the best that you have because you love Him with all your heart.