Then those whose lives honored God got together and talked it over. God saw what they were doing and listened in. A book was opened in God’s presence and minutes were taken of the meeting, with the names of the God-fearers written down, all the names of those who honored God’s name. God-of-the-Angel-Armies said, “They’re mine, all mine. They’ll get special treatment when I go into action. I treat them with the same consideration and kindness that parents give the child who honors them. Once more you’ll see the difference it makes between being a person who does the right thing and one who doesn’t, between serving God and not serving him.” Malachi 3:16-18, Message

How does one honor God with his/her life?  Live with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control, faithfulness and gentleness.  Those words sum up holiness for me.  It seems it sums up God’s definition for the work of the Holy Spirit within us as well.  How I do that is to daily yield myself to the work of the Holy Spirit within me.  He empowers me to make the choice to:

• Love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.  To love others including my enemies.
• Allow His joy to saturate my life so that the places of bitterness becomes pools of refreshing.
• Live in peace, the wholeness that God brings.
• Patience when I’m stressed
• Be kind to all of creation.
• Embrace self-control as a way of life as compared to self-centered behavior.
• Faithfully honor God’s name with my life as a sacrifice of worship.
• Be a giant in faith by being gentle with others.

Honor God by giving Him your best.  Growing up my Dad was convinced that dogs and cats should live outside.  He wouldn’t buy pet food.  Instead they ate the leftovers of our meals.  Believe me what was scraped into a hubcap behind a small barn wasn’t nearly as appealing or appetizing as what my mother served each evening.  But never would I have dreamed of eating the scraps that we fed the dogs.  My grandfather collected the scraps from the table at his home in his “slop bucket.”  I would go with him to “slop” the hogs in their old wooden trough.  But I would never have eaten the slop.

Surely we would not offer this wonderful and awesome God who has given us the best of gifts, His Son Jesus Christ the scraps of our time, talent, energies, attention, and treasure.  Never!

My daughter before she goes to bed at night will set up the morning coffee so it will be ready to brew when I get up early in the morning.  She always comes and gives me a hug and goodnight kiss.  She’ll say, “Your coffee is all set up.”  She is always looking for a way to serve and to give to her mother and me.  I tell you, I look for ways to bless her.  God does the same for us as we give him our best!

What are your suggestions as to how we can honor God?

Love, Peace and Joy in Christ!