Malachi 4- Options

 ”“For look, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and everyone who commits wickedness will become stubble. The coming day will consume them,” says the Lord of Armies, “not leaving them root or branches. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and playfully jump like calves from the stall.“

‭‭Malachi‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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The final chapter in the Old Testament gives a look ahead to the last moments of earth before God sets up His new kingdom.  Malachi gives the two options: those following Jesus who are jubilant and celebrate vs people who follow their own rules who are utterly destroyed.

I suspect that those following their own ideas don’t even know how far from God they are.  If Satan has done a good job, they probably would even think they are “doing good with God”.  Their hearts and minds have been numbed to the conviction of sin.  Their conscience no longer bothers them when they actively reject obedience to do what makes them feel good…God help them see the error of their ways so that they don’t continue in that exhausting, demoralizing pattern…only to be completely decimated.  Help them to turn to You and experience the joy of knowing  and following You!

Following You God, is only possible when I am surrendered in every decision and every plan.  I must ask the question, “what does God want me to do?”…then do that thing.  Over the last year, I have been getting better at hearing Your answer.  It seems ridiculous that it has taken me nearly 38 years of following Jesus to start hearing You more clearly!  But I am thankful that You are patient with us fools!!!

Malachi 3- Obedience Rewarded

 ”So you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.“

‭‭Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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In this last communication to His people, there is only one more chapter before God goes silent for 400 years.  He is talking about Jesus coming to earth to care for His people…they will have been familiar with seeing good and bad things happen to everyone.  To Gods people they will be wondering if obedience matters to God…

The answer is clear, the righteous will be blessed but the disobedient will experience suffering and loss.  

Lord, I feel like this has been true in my life even this week…even though obedience is not easy, you have blessed me beyond comprehension.  You have led me very obviously to a different job, one that is not as sexy or impressive…but one that perfectly fits who you created me to be.  Laying down what I desire and accepting your gift has brought all that I had hoped…a blessing in every way.

Help me to rest in You, knowing that you are leading me clearly.  Continue to guide me and give me confidence in your direction.  Allow me to rest in contentment every day, waiting expectantly for opportunity to serve you more.

Malachi 2- Perfect Life

 ”“My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave these to him; it called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and integrity and turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should desire instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Armies.“

‭‭Malachi‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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What an incredible promise that God gave…life and peace, integrity and purity, wisdom and instruction, closeness with God Himself.  These are what make a perfect life, and God gives them to us without cost.

This chapter goes on to describe how Gods people have been given this incredible blessing, and have thrown it all away…they have rejected God.  They are following their own desires and God is actively cursing them rather than blessing them.  What does it look like to reject God and throw away the blessings?

Lord, give me the wisdom to see where I am throwing away your blessing. When I have your best right within my grasp, but instead do what I want.  When your presence gives me peace within my soul, even in challenging times, but I instead reach for the thing that numbs my mind…I can feel better or at least not feel, for a fleeting moment…then I am back to feeling lost and anxious.  Highlight these times for me, like a flashing neon sign…help me to see it!

What an incredible promise that God gives…life and peace, integrity and purity, wisdom and instruction, closeness with God Himself.  These are what make a perfect life, and God gives them to us without cost!

Malachi 1- Delighted by Sacrifice

 ”“My name will be great among the nations, from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense and pure offerings will be presented in my name in every place because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord of Armies. 

But you say, ‘Look, what a nuisance! ’ And you scorn it,” says the Lord of Armies. “You bring injured, lame, or sick animals. You bring this as an offering! Am I to accept that from your hands?” asks the Lord.“

‭‭Malachi‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬, ‭13‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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The final book of the Old Testament and the minor prophets, Malachi is hearing from the Lord a message for Gods people.  He is calling them out for being selfish in their worship…

They are required to give God their best.  It is to show a recognition that God has given them everything and demonstrate how much they trust God to continue providing for them.  But in selfishness they are trying to “follow the rules” by sacrificing, but are giving their worst…the defective (because it is going to die anyway).  In essence they are saying, God you can have this one, because I am throwing it away anyway.

This is NOT what God is after.  God wants to know that we trust Him.  He wants us to be fully reliant on His care of us.  The best part is that He always cares for us and provides for our needs.  

This came to life for me years ago when I was trying to figure out how to give God my best in spending time with Him.  I was reading or praying whenever “I had a few extra minutes”…that often resulted in forgetting or just a minute of prayer before nodding off to sleep.  But that was not my best, nor was I gaining anything from it!  That was tedious, boring and felt worthless. Then  God convicted me to give of my best as a pleasing sacrifice to Him, which is why I spend these moments with Him before accomplishing anything else.

God, thank you for blessing me with that conviction for the last 20yrs and showing up each day!  My day doesn’t feel settled if I miss out…I look forward to this time each morning.  The sacrifice has become a delight!  You are so good!

Zechariah 14- Refreshed

 ”On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea, in summer and winter alike. On that day the Lord will become King over the whole earth  — the Lord alone, and his name alone.“

‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭14‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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This is imagery of the future when the Lord returns and establishes His kingdom.  He will reign from Jerusalem and the water here depicts life giving quality of His rule.  He is the sustainer of life to humanity, just like water is to plants.  

We all know what plants do if they don’t get enough water, they wilt, then get flimsy and later start to dry out and become fragile…then finally are broken to pieces and die.  Our souls are the same way with God…we start to feel weak and without strength to do normal activities. Then we dry out and feel numb to even remember His presence. Finally we are fragile and broken, so that even a strong wind of trial will shatter us.

Lord, thank you for dwelling inside me, and giving me your Word to drink in daily.  Thank You for sharing Your presence with me and helping me to see Your guiding!  Allow me to feel the refreshment of Your delight as I follow You in obedience.

Zechariah 13- Simplicity of Salvation

 ”“On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the residents of Jerusalem, to wash away sin and impurity.“

‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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What an image… sin washed away as easily as washing your hands.  The picture is more surprising to the original audience than it is to us, because they were still required to slaughter an animal for their sin.  That was a never ending process for God people before Jesus came!

For us it is more familiar because we only have to confess our sin to the Lord and trust that His work on the Cross will take care of it.  That washes us clean, even faster than washing your hands.  When we truly believe Jesus removes all sin that we have done in the past, nothing that we will do all at once…that is mind blowing and by the Spirit's power we should begin to sin less and less.  The sin that we chose to commit should be less and less…and our intentional obedience should be increasing.  We will also find ourselves delighted to say NO to previously attractive sin and choosing to obey happily.  This is what it looks like to follow Jesus.

God, help me to trust You at every turn.  Even when the path forward seems hard, help me to be confident that You actually want what is best for me.

Zechariah 12- Eternal Life Today

 ”“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for him as one weeps for a firstborn.“

‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭12‬:‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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More than 500 years before Jesus was born Zachariah prophesied about Jesus death.  He told where He would be crucified and that they would pierce his body (hands, feed and side).  This is not the only time Jesus death is portrayed before it happened…in fact there are more than 300 times!  (Here is a quick article https://www.gotquestions.org/prophecies-of-Jesus.html)

Gods plan was put into effect from the beginning of time.  He knew what would happen and what He would to to resolve the problem of sin.  We are still in the middle of Gods plan for redemption and I am so thankful that one day, we will be with Him and He will make all things new.  Nothing will be stained by sin and destruction!  There will be no more pain and suffering or even death.

Lord, you have a perfect plan, help me to walk into Your plan every day.  Correct my thinking when I go my own way and help me to trust You every step!  I need You because my own plans are stubborn and “make sense”…but they don’t lead to life.  That is where I want to live today…the life abiding with You.