Neutered

I haven’t posted a blog in several weeks, so here it goes… And it’s a weird one today…
I was preparing to teach a class last week when I read a Scripture that jumped out at me. I was reading about what was and wasn’t acceptable for an animal being offered as a sacrifice in the Temple. And then I read this:
As long as you live in this land, don't offer an animal with injured testicles. Leviticus 22:24 CEV
Now I know that some of you reading this are wondering where I am going with this, but trust me. There is a less than proper way to deal with this Scripture, and the Youth Pastor in me is dying to deal with it that way, but there is some solid spiritual application here.
Why in the world would the testicles of a sacrifice matter? I know God is interested in every area of our lives, but doesn’t this go a little far?
In the days of the Temple and animal sacrifices, you had to bring something good to God. You couldn’t bring a lame, blind or damaged animal for sacrifice. You needed to bring God your best, not leftovers.
God is worthy of your best. Honestly, He is worthy of a lot better than you could EVER give Him. So, for Him to ask that you not bring the bottom of the barrel to him would make sense. And this requirement about the testicles makes sense on this level, but I think there’s a lot more to it than that.
God wanted you to bring Him an animal that was capable of reproduction. He wanted you to bring Him something that was fruitful. He wanted you to bring Him something with potential. In other words, you weren’t just bringing that animal, you were also bringing every other animal that yours could potentially produce. You were bringing it’s future.
God wants your best. He deserves your best. He is worthy of every thing you have. But He wants more than just what you have. He wants what you could potentially produce. He wants you to give Him the fruits of tomorrow. He doesn’t just want what you are in the present, He wants you to give Him your future.
You might see this in a negative light. You might say, “Isn’t it enough that He has me now? Does He really need my tomorrow?” He wants your hopes. He wants your dreams. He wants your plans. And when you give them to Him, you are telling Him that you trust Him. You are telling Him that you really are in His hands. You are loving Him on the deepest and most intimate level possible. You are giving yourself as a sacrifice. And you are giving your best.
Do you have hopes, dreams, and plans that you have not surrendered to Him yet? If so, you need to give Him what He is worthy of. Don’t give him a neutered offering. Give Him everything you have, and everything you will be.