Despite God spelling out a number of things clearly in the book of Malachi, it doesn’t sound like everyone embraced His message at that time. However, some of them did, and God heard them.
Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.
Malachi 3:16 NIV
The people didn’t just give lip service to God’s instructions, and then move on. Something was written down. My wife and I agree that the act of writing something down is sometimes all that we need to remember it. If not, we can go back to our notes to look it up again, but regardless of the techniques, I know that I certainly need help remembering things that are important (from time to time).
Jesus gave us a table of remembrance through the Lord’s Supper, and that’s one good time to inspect our lives to see if we are truly putting God first, or if we’re robbing, insulting, or ignoring Him.
Having said that, if you’re like me, we might also need other reminders. Some people put up signs or sticky notes to remind them about things we have learned about God. Others find these reminders in Bible study and listening to sermons or Bible lessons, and then taking notes. Regardless of the mechanism, though, writing something down not only helps us remember, it can also help solidify our commitment to it.
Do you find yourself wishing that you could remember key lessons that God has shown you from the Bible? Consider following the pattern of those who listened to Him in Malachi’s time, and write it down. Maybe the act of writing it down will help you remember. Maybe being able to refer back to it will help remind you. Maybe having it in writing will help you commit to it. Regardless, writing things down that we learn from God, and to which we want to commit ourselves, seems like a good idea!
Continuing in this chapter, we find an answer to the two protests from an earlier section (Malachi 3:14-15).
“On the day when I act,” says the LORD Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
Malachi 3:17-18 NIV
The people had suggested that serving God didn’t get them anything, and that those who flaunted God’s authority were getting away with it.
God promises that those who fear Him will be His, though, and that they will be spared from the coming judgment, when the righteous and the wicked both receive what God has promised. It might look like there are no short-term benefits to serving God. It might look like those who ignore God’s sovereignty are doing well. The present circumstances are not the end of the story, though. Don’t give up before the rest of God’s plan gets here! (And, maybe that’s what we need to write down today, so that we don’t forget.)
From Sunday School lesson prepared for August 18, 2024
References:
- The Lookout, August, 2024, © 2024 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Minor Prophets Vol. 2 Nahum-Malachi, by Mark Allen Hahlen and Clay Alan Ham. © 2006 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 