“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.” Malachi 2:2

“Is that MINE… or does that belong to Jesus?” I asked it, shuffling through the tool room at the church and seeing a couple tools that I could have sworn came from MY toolbox. I had to force myself to remember if I had brought it from home and mentally GIVEN it to the church, or just accidentally left it there. Thinking, “THIS is not a common problem,” I sensed God saying, “Really?”

Being the pastor, and one of a few guys available for jobs needing done, I will often take my tools to the Church. Sometimes I see the tool as something Jesus could use and I’ll leave it. Other times I just forget to pick it up. When I see it later, I go through a long mental process to try to determine what happened and why. Why? Because, it seems to me, Malachi’s ‘honor-warning’ is really quite serious!

Now I know that Malachi was written in the Old Testament to the Jewish nation. I also know that this particular section is talking DIRECTLY to the Priests! They had been waffling on the rules of sacrifice, giving blind and blemished animals to God for their sin… keeping the best for themselves! God noticed! What ‘I’ might think of as a MINOR problem, GOD saw as a MAJOR CRIME… and cursed!

Sin is not a sin because it breaks a rule. God didn’t just decide to make all the fun stuff illegal to prove my loyalty! Sin is a sin because it breaks God’s HEART! I was CREATED to be God’s residence! My hands, mouth, brain, time and resources ALL come FROM Him. They are supposed to reflect my appreciation and service BACK to Him! Time and Resources are the 2 biggest God-Heart indicators!

During my search through the Church tool room, I recognized an extension cord that looked like one I had in MY garage for YEARS! It’s not like I need more cords. But as the thought, ‘that’s mine’ hit me, I KNEW came from the pit of hell. But I couldn’t remember how that cord got there, I decided I’d rather just give it to Jesus. Cuz if he gets that upset over a blind cow… well! OK, I’M KIDDING! Maybe!

Are you SERIOUSLY giving God His due? If you belong to Him, do you KNOW when He is asking you to step up and be faithful? Will you? What are you holding onto that SHOULD go to God? Are you faithful to God in YOUR time and resources… ALWAYS? What do you have that belongs to HIM? Have you ever experienced what might seem like a curse or withdrawal of God’s favor in areas of your life?  What are you going to DO about it?