Malachi 1-4

Malachi is the last book of prophecy in the Old Testament.  God's people have returned from exile, and again, they have gotten lazy and careless in their attitudes toward God.  The big idea in this book is that we belong to God in "body and spirit (2:15)."  One of my quick go-to resources, Know Your Bible: All 66 Books Explained and Applied points out that Malachi is the "final word from God for some four hundred years, until the appearance of John the Baptist and Jesus, the Messiah."  That is a long time without hearing from God, but we know He makes an awesome promise and keeps it.

And the promise is this-

I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

Malachi 3:1

I am so thankful for Jesus, who came to save me from my sins.  He died for me and lives, so that when I call to Him, He is with me.  

How does that translate day to day, you might sometimes wonder?  At least I do.

And I am learning I don't need to fight or make time for lazy days when it comes to my faith.  And I certainly don't want to leave room for careless mistakes.  Although these things happen from time to time because I am human, I am finding that as I take the time to be intentional about intertwining my faith in Christ into everything I do, my Savior blesses me with rest that renews and purpose that sustains and fulfills me.  

Jesus, our Savior saves, not just for eternity, but here and now.  Jesus is alive in us as we remember Him, as we turn to Him, as we hand things over to Him, as we put Him first and at the forefront of our hearts and minds.  Jesus offers us more to the story than what we feel or experience on our own, more than we could understand or imagine at any given moment.  And when that happens, it's nothing short of amazing.

A prayer for today-

Dear Almighty Lord and Savior,

I thank you for Jesus.  I am thankful that you sent Him to die for my sins and live in me, and all who believe.  I pray Your Word will speak to my heart today and inspire me to act in faith.  I also pray for the salvation of those, near and dear, far and wide, who need the healing presence of Jesus in their lives.  May they come to know You, love You, and trust You.

In the name of Christ I pray,

Amen

Blessings,

*This post is part of A Mind-Maker-Upper's Everyday Reading Project.  Click here to read more.