Malachi 1:13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord. 14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.
This passage of scripture speaks against the practice of bringing a lame offering to God, in any way, form, or fashion. Nothing but the very best we have to offer should be given to God, for what we give is a reflection of our estimation of the king of the universe. In ancient times some of the Hebrews developed the habit of saving the best of their flocks for their own personal use, and those animals that were diseased and lame were brought into the sanctuary, as an offering to God. This practice was strictly forbidden by God, and all offerings thus made were signally rejected by Him, for nothing but the very best will He accept. A misunderstanding of the far-reaching implications of this principle causes many Christians to offer inferior service and offerings to the Master, with which He can never be pleased. Let's read:
Leviticus 22:21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. 22 Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord. 23 Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.
God therefore will only accept the best of the very best as far as offerings, service, and praise goes. The habit of making mistakes whilst playing instruments of music should be eliminated as far as possible from the service of God, and all musicians are commanded in the Bible to play skillfully, when oblations are being offered to the King. Many Christians may not be aware of this, and for this reason music is sometimes performed in a slipshod manner, contrary to the plain teachings of the word. Let's read:
Psalm 33:1 Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. 2 Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise. 4 For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.
But the best is not restricted only to music, for the principle extends out to the way in which the spoken word is delivered. When Christians stand to speak in the courts of The Lord, only the best possible speech should be used, and if required to read the word of God, the material should be delivered in a clear, concise, and distinct manner, so that the worshipers may hear clearly what is being said, and so that the very best environment may be established for the receiving and digesting of the word. Many of us may not know this, and for this reason we may stumble through passages of scripture when called upon to read, or we may muddle words that were previously unknown to us. This can be avoided by careful rehearsal of the material to be read, so that any foreign words or hard sentences may be dissolved before we step into the pulpit. Let's read:
Nehemiah 8:7 Also Jeshua, and Bani" ...."and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
Giving of our best also applies to time, for we are not to leave God for last on our busy schedules each day. The time spent communing with God should be prime time, where we can have undisturbed converse with our Maker, preferably in the early hours of the morning when the household is still asleep. During these hours of silence, when the stillness of the morning hours facilitate clear uninterrupted thought, the voice of God becomes more distinct, and we are better prepared to hear Him speaking directly to our souls. But for us to wait until the kids begin shuffling in the house, with dogs barking and parrots chirping, and toilets flushing, and the smell of freshly baked bread, or newly brewed tea wafting on the air, then to begin our devotions, is to do a disservice to God, and thus represents a lame offering that cannot be accepted.
The general principle which should guide us in all of our services, devotions, and offerings to God, is that of rendering only the best of the very best and nothing less, and if we do, God promises that He will honor those who honor Him, by taking care of all our temporal and spiritual needs. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encapsulates the very concept here mentioned, and it is the will of God that we now put it into practice on a continual basis. Let's read:
Mat6thew 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!