Malachi 1:2 (ESV)
It is Thanksgiving week. Thursday is a day set apart to step away from the busyness of life and reflect on the blessings of God. But sometimes giving thanks feels more like a duty than a privilege. Sometimes we are tempted to say with Israel, “How have you loved us?” I think of my widowed friends, or my friends who are fighting cancer, or a friend whose life is more pain than good, and I wonder how they can say “Thank you.” Malachi is called, “The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi” (Mal 1:1). The Hebrew word translated oracle is a word that almost always introduces a threatening message. Malachi is not good news.
So, how does God respond to their question, “How have you loved us?” He responds by reminding them of their history, and of Edom’s future. He gives them a broader perspective. No matter what Edom plans, their future is ultimately one of failure and destruction.
I remember my grandfather coming home with a new car. He had covered the seats with plastic seat covers. I remember thinking that If I ever have a new car, I won’t cover the seats with plastic. It made no sense to me to have something and not enjoy it. But Grandpa’s concern wasn’t how comfortable the seats were. He had lived through uncomfortable times before. Plastic seat covers weren’t all that bad. What he was thinking about was resale value. If he preserved the seats, the car would last longer, and be worth more when he traded it or sold it. His perspective was long term. Mine was focused on the now, the present. I still don’t like plastic seat covers, but I now understand his perspective. This Thanksgiving, let me encourage you to take the long view. Rather than asking, “How have you loved us?” take some time to reflect on the blessings God has given over the years, and the hope we have as believers in Jesus Christ, an expectation that goes far beyond this life.
“I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob
It is Thanksgiving week. Thursday is a day set apart to step away from the busyness of life and reflect on the blessings of God. But sometimes giving thanks feels more like a duty than a privilege. Sometimes we are tempted to say with Israel, “How have you loved us?” I think of my widowed friends, or my friends who are fighting cancer, or a friend whose life is more pain than good, and I wonder how they can say “Thank you.” Malachi is called, “The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi” (Mal 1:1). The Hebrew word translated oracle is a word that almost always introduces a threatening message. Malachi is not good news.
So, how does God respond to their question, “How have you loved us?” He responds by reminding them of their history, and of Edom’s future. He gives them a broader perspective. No matter what Edom plans, their future is ultimately one of failure and destruction.
I remember my grandfather coming home with a new car. He had covered the seats with plastic seat covers. I remember thinking that If I ever have a new car, I won’t cover the seats with plastic. It made no sense to me to have something and not enjoy it. But Grandpa’s concern wasn’t how comfortable the seats were. He had lived through uncomfortable times before. Plastic seat covers weren’t all that bad. What he was thinking about was resale value. If he preserved the seats, the car would last longer, and be worth more when he traded it or sold it. His perspective was long term. Mine was focused on the now, the present. I still don’t like plastic seat covers, but I now understand his perspective. This Thanksgiving, let me encourage you to take the long view. Rather than asking, “How have you loved us?” take some time to reflect on the blessings God has given over the years, and the hope we have as believers in Jesus Christ, an expectation that goes far beyond this life.
Comments
Post a Comment