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 

Cleaner than clean

Even washing clothes in a modern washing machine doesn't always get them 100% clean. Sometimes one has to apply JIK, extra soap or some other cleaning agent to get the stains out. If you understand this house-hold analogy, then you will understand what Malachi is getting at in today's reading. He is promising that God will refine and clean the Israelites - this will be done to make them acceptable to the Lord.  

^"But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. ³ He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, ⁴ and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years." - Malachi 3:2-4

As we edge closer to Christmas let us reflect on the work of Jesus was he came to cleanse us from our sins. The tiny baby, born in the manger, grows up to become the man on the cross. The sacrifice of Christ allowed us the chance to become cleaner than clean. 

No amount of Religion can cleanse us from our sins - we need the love and grace of Christ to get us spotless.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

He is on his way

 

Picture the scene - You are at a wedding and everyone is excited and chatting away in the Chapel. Suddenly the minister walks to the front and says: "The Bride is on her way. She is almost here!"
The mood immediately changes and people have now become extra expectant - your minds begin to race and these could be some of your thoughts:

"She is on her way!
It will be any minute now.
This is what we came here for!"

Isn't this also the same for Advent? This is what we are waiting for:

"See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, 
and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. 
The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—
indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts" - Malachi 3:1

Indeed - Jesus is coming!

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

Walking with Integrity

<sup>One of the "attractive" attributes of Jesus was that he was a person of INTEGRITY. He was totally upright and fully faithful to the mission his Father gave him. People knew that Jesus was always being sincere and genuine - there was nothing deceitful about him at all. And through his life, Jesus 'turned many from their sins,' just as Levi had done years before.




"</sup>True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in integrity and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts" - Malachi 2:7-8 

As we journey towards the heart of Jesus this Christmas, may we allow him to turn us back to his ways.

Living in Grace
D3LM3