Daily Devotion: Be Cursed or Be Blessed

Scripture:
Malachi 2: 1-9

Main Verse:
Malachi 2: 2
If you do not listen, and if you do not resolve to honor my name," says the Lord Almighty, "I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me.

Observation:
Malachi 2: 1-9 was a message intended for priests in the Old Testament, but it is also applicable to us as God's "royal priesthood, chosen to proclaim praises to the Lord's name (1 Peter 2:9). The Lord is serious about obedience. He wants us to be 100% submissive and compliant to His commands. When the priests in Malachi 1 offered defiled animals as sacrifice, they did not only defile the Holy Temple; they disobeyed the Lord's command about offering pure and unblemished animals. The Lord was not angry because they offered sick animals. He was displeased because his instructions were not followed. The Lord has cursed them because they have disrespected Him instead of bringing honor to His name. Moreso, they had an even greater responsibility because they were supposed to show themselves as good examples to the people at that time (v. 7).

Application:
Why does obedience matter more than sacrifice to the Lord? If we take a look at Malachi 2: 8, the Lord says "But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble..." The Lord considers disobedience a form of rebellion. It is a "form of resistance to or defiance to an authority" and when we disobey the Lord, we are disrespecting Him. When we claim that we are Christians but blatantly dishonor the Lord, we set a bad example to our brothers and sisters in Christ. We can only truly show that we honor and love the Lord with all our heart when we obey Him all the time. And when we are obedient, the Lord will spare us from the curses He intends for the wicked.

"The act of disobedience is always connected with the matter of the heart. If a person loves God and values Him dearly in his or her heart, then they will be more obedient to God." 
- Enrich, A Daily Devotional

Prayer:
Father, teach me to be humble at all times. Do not allow my heart to become stubborn or rebellious. My heart's desire is to follow you no matter how difficult the path is toward holy living. I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide my way towards living an obedient life. In Jesus's name I pray. AMEN.