Wednesday, November 23, 2022

 

Wednesday, November 23, 2022


Psalms 54; 55:1-12

Malachi 1

Revelation 12:1-6


Observance: Clement of Rome, bishop and martyr (d. c. 100)


A son honours his father, and servants their master.


Every little mundane action we make in this life can, if done prayerfully, be an act of joyful praise to God and a vehicle for His blessing in creation. When the big things come about in our lives, we are usually a little more attentive to God’s presence, whether we are responding in thanksgiving, lament or questioning. Our lives are certainly improved the more we look to involve God in them. Malachi wants to push us even further. Once we have made the commitment to open ourselves to God’s desires, lets take the next step and work out how deeply we are ready for God to work in us.


Malachi is prophesying to the priests of the Temple in Jerusalem. These priests certainly involve God in their lives, such as their role demands them to be constantly offering and making animal sacrifices. The concern here is how deeply the priests feel their commitment to God to be. They are fulfilling the Law so far as it concerns the fact that animals must be sacrificed. But God does not need the animals themselves: God has given them the sacrificial system as an opportunity to show their depth of love for God by the quality of the animal the priests are willing to go without.


It is like sitting at a long table filled with plates of food being shared around. When the plate comes to you, will you take the best bits for yourself? Or will you take just enough and leave the better bits for your neighbour? God is asking the same thing: will you give God the “leftovers” of your commitment? Or does He deserve the best bits?


A son honours his father, and servants their master: we are God’s servants and children. We do not fear His punishment, because our sins were removed when Jesus died on the cross. Rather, we adore Him, and so of course He gets the best we have to offer. He is our perfect Father, who is always happy to see us, who will always forgive us and always love us, no matter what. He is also our perfect Master, who will only task us with kingdom work; work of love and grace and blessing. He does not need or ask for anything from us. He simply wants us to love Him back. And love is shown when we walk the talk. We dedicate our actions completely to God, because He is worth it.




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