Don’t worry I didn’t leave her there long 🙂 I just thought she looked cute so I snapped her picture quickly. In case you’re all wondering the cloth diapers are going quite well. Yes it’s an extra load of laundry but since I’m not washing by hand that’s not too big of an issue. And as long as the diaper and pants are put on correctly and tightly there aren’t any accidents 🙂 I will say, though, it does make me more thankful for the ‘just wet’ diapers that I get.
Rina had a Dr’s appt the other day. She is 26.25 ins (95-97th percentile) and 15lbs and 1.4ozs (50-75th percentile). Yes, she is a big girl 🙂 but healthy and looks good so we are thankful!
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Now for the big question, how can we know if our worship is acceptable to God? Well, ask yourself this question – am I bringing to God the absolute best that I have to offer during my worship or am I offering to God something less than the best?
In Leviticus God required different animals depending on the sacrifice but one thing was always the same – it was to be without blemish or defect, or the animal was to be choice and costly. In other words- the best you had, not the sick, the old, the blind, not even the pretty good animals. In one sense God said to Israel, “I’m God and I deserve the best you have! Anything less is unacceptable.”
Now, many of us can honestly say that we don’t give God our scraps or leftovers, but are we honestly giving to God the best we have?
Do we give God our best out of our time, money, bodies, minds, or do we give less than the best? How many of us make mental statements like these?
If I have money left over from this paycheck then I’ll give some back to You, Lord.
If I have time left in the day I’ll read my Bible and pray
If I get up on time and I’m not too tired I’ll go to church
Now, this doesn’t mean the best based on what everybody else can and has given. This is not a comparison game. This is strictly between you and God. Have you given the God of the universe the absolute best out of what you have to offer Him? Or, are we giving God tired bodies, minds not fully focused on Him, leftovers from our paycheck after we’ve bought what we wanted first…
God wants and actually deserves the best we have. He won’t accept anything less.
cute picture! She’s getting so big!
I have to say, I know I’m not giving God my best. It is sadly often “a leftover”, if anything…
And I might have to disagree about God not accepting anything less – I think He accepts anything we bring to Him. After all, He brings rest for the weary, hope for the broken hearted, etc. He accepts us where we are, even if it isn’t pretty.
– just my 2cents 🙂
Lori – I had the same questions when I was first working through this. Here’s the conclusion I came to. In the OT the Israelite’s entire herd belonged to God, but the ones to be specifically dedicated/sacrificed to God (in worship) was to be the best he had.
Today for us this could look like this – all of my day is to belong to God. I am to honor and glorify His Name with all my thoughts, words, actions… BUT the thoughts, actions, words that specifically are dedicated to Him whether through prayer or Bible reading (in other words in times of worship) are to be the BEST parts of my day. The times when I am most awake and alert, when I am most ready to be still and know that He is God. Not the times of my day when I’m exhausted and just want to sleep…
In terms of worship – we are to bring the best we have. In terms of accepting me as His child – you are totally right and I am incredibly thankful – He accepts us just as we are 🙂 Does that make sense?