Our bible study was on the book of Malachi. I've never read this book before. It's the last book of the old testament and is filled with (once again) God's love, discipline, and promise to restore those who are His. I use to be the secretary of the singles class at my church. Since I've gotten married I resigned my position. After every Sunday school class I would send an email during the week wrapping up what we discussed. So here it goes...
God loves you. He loved His people even though they were in a destructive cycle of sin and its bondage, repentance, forgiveness, and living in harmony with God only to fall back into sin and start the cycle over. It's so easy to read the life of the Israel people and wonder, "What were they thinking? I mean they were in the loving arms of God. Why would they ever chose to leave that and return to the bondage of sin?"
You've never thought that?
Me neither...still I can't help but see myself in them. Do we not do the same things? Here's what God has done for us. He has given us what we don't deserve and kept from us what we do deserve. We are sinners people, and no matter how hard we try we are still sinners. He has given us grace. He loves us so much to give us a book of knowledge to learn Him. The bible is our way to study the Lord and to be more like Him. It is natural for every child to want to be like their father or mother. As a Christian we should have a desire to be the best representation of our Father. The only way to know Him is to spend time with Him and time in the living, breathing word.
Every day we have a choice. We need to chose to stay in the will of God. What's His will for us? Everyone is called to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. What does that look like for you? It could mean being the best wife, mom, father, husband, leader, or whatever else you are passionate about. It means bringing God into everything you do to show His light in your life. It means being good stewards of our time. It means falling at the feet of Jesus and keeping a short account of our sins. It means giving God our first fruits and not our left overs. It means learning when to say yes, and learning when to say, "I am doing more important work for the Lord right now and cannot commit myself to this task." It means knowing what fits in line with your gifts, and not taking a position from some one else God is working on to be used just because you are afraid to tell someone no.
Why are we so scared to tell someone no anyways? Yet we find it easy to say no to God? It could be because of that old saying that people write you in pen, and your family writes you in pencil. Family and those closes to you will erase your faults, whereas someone who's just met you will write you off by the first appearance or association with you. That's why we find it easier to be nice to a stranger and yet take a hard day out on the ones we love. I think it's because we know God will forgive and accept us with our faults. Still is that anyway to treat the one who died for us, who has given us so much? Is our wasted time and efforts how we think He should be repaid? Family may write you in pencil, and strangers in ink, but God wrote you in the blood of the lamb. We owe Him so much more than what we are giving. At least I know I do.
We serve a wonderful and POWERFUL God. He has not and will not change. He also will not give up on us. When we have something that's valuable to us we take care of it and keep it clean. We need to see ourselves and others the way God does...valuable enough to be kept clean. Remember that before you slander another person's name or allow gossip to go on. See people as God does and us every opportunity to lift and encourage rather than tear down. God doesn't give up on us. I love this book of the bible. God starts with discipline, as any good father would, but then He backs it up with love and encouragement.
Allison thank you again for allowing us in to you home. I enjoyed it, learned from it, and am blessed because of it.
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