Malachi 1:9,10 - Oh that you would shut the temple doors!

1:9

They knew full well how a human superior would respond to a defiled gift. So how could they expect God to show favour to Israel when they offered defiled offerings? So often we blame God for things, but it is always we who are at fault. We need to come before the Lord in true reverence and awe. If we do not then how can we imagine that we are actually coming before the Lord? We need to check our own attitudes and actions.

1:10

They would be better not to come before the Lord at all, better to shut the doors of the temple so that no one could come and offer defiled offerings. For their coming to the Lord only invoked His anger. Today we can act as if God ought to be pleased to see us, as if He has a duty to bless us. If we come with a humble heart and an attitude of faith and true worship He will indeed bless us, but if we come with a presumptuous spirit we need to beware. We come to God on His terms, and we come to see His kingdom come and His will be done.