Serving Leftovers

My wife and I are "empty-nesters." Which means our children are grown and have left the 'nest.' One of the adjustments we had to make was to learn to cook for two instead of four. As a result, we often have leftovers. I do not mind eating leftovers, as a matter of fact, some foods taste better the next day. While I have no objections with leftovers, God does.

I have been a pastor for over thirty years and I have been asked a myriad of questions, many reveal their relationship with God.  "Can I divorce my wife and still go to heaven?" "Am I a Christian even though I am having sex with my girlfriend?" "Do I tithe on my gross income or the net?" Most of these questions reveal the lack of total commitment to Christ. What they are really asking is "What is the least level of commitment (you name the area) I can make and still make it to heaven?"

Jesus' call to commitment is clear: He wants all or nothing. God wants our best, deserves our best, and demands our best. Hosea 13:6 "When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me."  God gets a scrap or two because we feel guilty about giving Him nothing. We say a 2 minute prayer at the end of the day before falling asleep. We toss in two crumbled dollar bills, thinking this should keep God happy. (And soothe my conscience.)

The new year is about here and we are thinking about the changes we would like to make. I cannot think of anything more life changing than total surrender and commitment to Christ. Let's stop giving God leftovers!