Nothing I could offer this Creator of All would ever be enough to give him all the glory and honor he deserves, and so, he deserves the very best that I can give, the very most that I can sacrifice.
Have you ever experienced something that made you realize how small you truly are in comparison to the vastness and almighty power of our God? I have experienced that feeling many times, but one moment, in particular, stands out to me. Last summer, my family met in Washington state for a family reunion. One of the most memorable parts of the trip was our journey to Cape Flattery. Cape Flattery is the northwest edge of the United States’ land before you encounter endless amounts of ocean. We only had about half a day to squeeze it in and our aim was to reach our final destination at sunset. We traveled for several hours on winding roads leaving the big city and passing small town after smaller town until the view changed from stoplights and industry to patches of ocean, mountains and trees. Turn after turn we were traveling away from the buzzing population to the stillness of the natural elements of creation.
When we reached the end of the road and arrived in the quiet parking lot, we were anxious to see where our travels had brought us. However, our journey to our destination wasn’t over. The edge of the United States was tucked behind a trail of wooden planked bridges and stumps made into stepping stones. As we trekked toward the end of the ground beneath our feet we could see the sun dropping from the leaves to the trunks of the trees, so we knew we had timed our sunset arrival perfectly. When the trees started to thin out we knew we were getting close, and then finally the forest was behind us and nothing but the brilliance of the sun setting over the clear blue water was before us. And it was truly breathtaking.
At that moment, I could only think about the power and glory of our God and how small and lowly I am. As I stood there, almost blinded by the reflection of the sun on the water, it was so clear to see that nothing I could offer this Creator of All would ever be enough to give him all the glory and honor he deserves, and so, he deserves the very best that I can give, the very most that I can sacrifice.
In Mark 12:41-44, Jesus says the widow who only put in a penny gave more than all the others. This is true because God does not weigh our gifts the same way the world does. In God’s eyes, our gifts are simply measures of the heart. The bigger the sacrifice, the bigger the gift. No matter the worth it has in human measurements, that is exactly what God asks from me and from you, the very best from our hearts.
God does not need our wealth, he just wants our hearts. That is why even the biggest gift, if it is only given to gain attention and status, is not enough to have any worth to God. If you are not sacrificing the very best of your time, your treasure, and your talents to God, what is holding you back? The King of Kings in all his splendor deserves so much more than our very best, and yet he welcomes us even when we come before him nearly empty-handed if we come sacrificially and humbly.
