The Silence can be deafening

Some people say that there were 400 years of silence after the book of Malachi was written. This was not silence in a general sense, but rather that the Israelites heard nothing from God for the next 4 Centuries! That is a very, very long time!

As the last voice of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi called on the people to hear his crucial Messenger (remember that the name Malachi actually means 'messenger of Jehovah'). However, the people of Israel ignored this message and so they had to endure 400 years of silence.

This silence was eventually broken by the birth of John the Baptist, followed shortly afterwards by the birth of Jesus, son of Joseph and Mary.  It is the Incarnation that changes everything for us - God breaks the silence with the greatest of all PROCLAMATIONS - The king has come! Hallelujah.

The birth of Jesus Christ reminds us that God wants us to hear His message of grace and love. God wants us to remember that the WORD has been made in human form (flesh) and that God has dwelt amongst his people.

May you have a blessed Christmas and remember to heed the message of the Nativity.
God is with us.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Remember and Keep

 

December is usually such a busy time that stopping for a while to reflect and remember is not always possible. However, I do believe that it is such a important discipline for us, that 'making time' for it should be a priority (in my humble opinion.)

In his final word to the people of Israel, Malachi records the voice of the Lord saying:

“Remember and keep the revelation I gave through my servant Moses, the revelation I commanded at Horeb for all Israel, all the rules and procedures for right living." - Malachi 4:4

We remember the REVELATION of God as he sent Jesus into the world.

We reflect and remember what his Salvation means for us.

We remember how far we have drifted from God's grace.

We remember our need to return to the way of God (right living).

We remember those who have passed away, along the journey of life.

We remember the 'WORD made FLESH' so that we can KEEP his message in our hearts.

"Remember God's goodness,

O thou Man, O thou Man, 
Remember God's goodness 
 And promise made. 
Remember God's goodness, 
How his only Son he sent 
Our sins for to redress. 
 Be not afraid." - Thomas Ravenscroft

Living in Grace

D3LM3

The Sun of righteousness

But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty." - Malachi 4:2-3

The phrase 'sun of righteousness'  can only refer to the coming of the Messiah - Jesus Christ. In an age when pagan gods where considered to 'shine' and have 'wings' perhaps Malachi is using these words to reveal the superiority of the coming Messiah. Whatever his motivations, it is a lovely image to think of the 'Son's Rays' reaching out to each one of us. 

When we sing the great Christmas Hymn 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing' this year, let us pause at verse 3 and remember that these significant lines point to Jesus:

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings (Charles Wesley)

May we experience the love and healing of Christ this Christmas time. Grace and Peace.


Living in Grace
D3LM3

The Day is coming

 

My youngest son reminded us all this morning that there were 6 more sleeps until Christmas. That joyous morning is edging ever closer and closer. For young kids the last week before Christmas Day seems to drag on and on, but for us as parents there never seems to be enough time to do everything!

When the prophet Malachi was reflecting on the coming of the Lord, he spoke as if he was an impatient child - "SURELY the day is coming" he remarked! Surely...

Malachi 4:1 - “Surely the day is coming..."

The Good News is that the day has come (when Christ was born) and the DAY WILL COME, when he returns. Let us do all we can to make ourselves ready for that moment.

Ezekiel 39:8 - It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord. This is the day I have spoken of.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Treasured Possession

Gifts, presents, treasurers - these are all synonymous with Christmas. Even though some people choose not to remember Jesus during this season, it is undeniable that the giving of gifts originates from the 'gift of the Christ child.'  God gave of his very best and so, in turn, we also give to others. 

In this lovely verse from Malachi 3:17, we see how God speaks about as being his Treasured Possession. We are loved so much by God, that he sees us as TREASURE! What a delightful thing to reflect on this Advent season.

“On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. ¹⁸ And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.^"
 
There are a few other passages in the Bible that convey the same message. Here is one of those:
^"For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession." - Deuteronomy 7:6 

Have a blessed day,
Living in Grace
D3LM3 

Be Present

<sup>If you have ever been to an important meeting,  where there were lots of discussions taking place, then undoubtedly someone would have been tasked with taking "minutes" of that meeting. The idea of keeping a 'minute' of an important meeting is so that all the key decisions/people can be remembered. In this way, one can look back at what was decided and whether these decisions have been followed through with.

This seems to be the setting for our reading today. The people of God have gathered together to speak through some vital issues and God listens to their debates. A scroll of remembrance (perhaps like a record of minutes) was written to keep track of all the key decisions.

"</sup>Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name." - Malachi 3:16

In this season of Advent, let us be present at the key moments of Jesus birth. Let our names be recorded on those 'minutes' as active participants of the Gospel narrative.

Living in Grace
D3LM3 

Putting God to the Test

 

The idea of God testing us is a very common notion. We may be going through a difficult time and suddenly we will ask - "Why is God testing me?"
I am not going to focus on that question in this devotion, but rather on something that involves us putting God to the test. Yes, you did read correctly - us putting God to the test! 

Here is the exact passage:
"and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing." - Malachi 3:10

God actually invites us to put him to the test. And this is not so that we get 'gifts' in return, but so that we understand how generous God really is. 

In this season of Advent let us see the birth of Jesus as God "opening the windows of heaven for us."
We receive Jesus as the ultimate blessing.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Who changed?

 

It happens from time to time - people change! One day they act 'normal', but then they seem to change. What causes the change can be a myriad of things, but we DO notice the change. When God is speaking to the Israelites, he is making his point clear that HE HAS NOT CHANGED AT ALL. 

Obviously this is good news for us - God doesn't change and we can rely on Him at all times. In this season of so much change and busyness, I invite us to hold onto the God who never changes.

“I am God—yes, I Am. I haven’t changed. And because I haven’t changed, you, the descendants of Jacob, haven’t been destroyed. You have a long history of ignoring my commands. You haven’t done a thing I’ve told you. Return to me so I can return to you,” says God-of-the-Angel-Armies." - Malachi 3:6-7

Living in Grace
D3LM3 

Getting what we want

I looked at this verse (Malachi 2:13) in a few different translations, but they all seemed so bleak. Trying to find the Good News in them was a little tricky, but as always, I do believe there is HOPE. 
Let us start with the words of Malachi first:

The Message says - "You fill the place of worship with your whining and snivelling because you don’t get what you want from God." 

The NIV says - "You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favour on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands." 

I read through this passage a few times and THEN it struck me: The reason the people are upset is because they can't get their own way - they are acting like spoilt brats and God has grown very tired of the people's snivelling. I can almost hear the Lord saying, "Go to your room and cool off a bit. We can talk later!"

This Christmas season let us remember to offer God everything we have and not to whine when we don't get our own way. Young kids who act like this are not very popular at Christmas celebrations and neither will we be, if we carry on demanding our own way. 

Let us put Jesus first this Christmas.

Living in Grace
D3LM3