Readings for today: Malachi 1-4, Psalm 50
We love to make God in our own image. We are so prone to project onto Him our own notions of justice and goodness and righteousness and peace. We struggle to understand a God who would confront us, challenge us, discipline us, say “no” to us. Instead, we challenge Him. We question Him. We put Him on trial because of all the suffering and evil we see in the world. Is it any wonder then that the heavens so often seem closed to our prayers? Is it any wonder then that God seems so distant? Is it any wonder that we struggle so much to hear His voice and experience His abiding presence in our lives?
The people of God have always had this problem. We are constantly putting God to the test. Constantly rationalizing our sin. Constantly justifying our rebellious behavior. Listen again to the many different ways the people of God were challenging God in Malachi’s day…
“I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have You loved us?” (Mal. 1:2)
“A son honors his father and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise My name. But you say, “How have we despised Your name?” (Mal. 1:6)
“For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts…But you say, “What weariness this is and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts.” (Mal 1:11, 13)
“You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied Him?” (Mal. 2:17)
“Return to Me and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, “How shall we return? Will man rob God?” Yet you are robbing Me. But you say, “How have we robbed you?” (Mal. 3:7-8)
“Your words have been hard against Me, says the Lord. But you say, “How have we spoken against You?” (Mal. 3:13)
Over and over again, the people of God challenge God. Accuse God. Defy God. Ignore God. Demand from God. And the wonder of it all is that God never loses patience. Never lashes out in anger. Never walks away from His people. Instead, He loves them. He is patient with them. He continues to work with them and walk with them in faithfulness. Canonically, Malachi is the final book of the Old Testament and the final words from the final book set up the opening act of the New Testament. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” (Mal. 4:5-6) Fast forward a few hundred years and a man named John the Baptist begins preaching repentance in the wilderness. His self-proclaimed mission is to “prepare the way of the Lord.” He is Elijah reborn, come to make way for the Messiah. Emmanuel. God with us.
God is amazing. He never gives up on us despite all our questions and doubts and fears and failures. He perseveres with us through every trial and temptation. He holds onto us in all our pain and heartache and suffering. He walks with us through the darkest valleys of life. All He asks in return is that we trust Him. Believe Him. Turn to Him. Draw near to Him. Walk with Him. Surrender to Him. He knows what’s best. He knows the way. And if we will let Him, He will lead us on paths of righteousness for His names’ sake.
Readings for tomorrow: Ezra 7-10