Between the old and the new <3
Today is a small landmark in my annual Bible read through. Drum roll, please. I finished the Old Testament. I have to admit, I went from reading a set number a pages a day when I hit the minor prophets. I took my time with each one and studied them a bit more.
Brief endorsement here for reading your Bible: reading the Minor prophets these past few days was like reading the headlines of our current news stories. The Bible is relevant. In every single age. Human nature has not changed even though we dress differently and chase new fangled idols. Civilizations rise and fall, governments rule and are taken over, economies boom and crash and over it all, God has remained Sovereign, constant and faithful.
In the midst of all the drama of human history, there has always been a small and faithful remnant that continues to call on God no matter what the popular voices are shouting. And Malachi has a word for us to encourage the weary.
I love this version from the Message:
Then those whose lives honored GOD got together and talked it over. God saw what they were doing and listened in. A book was opened in God’s presence and minutes were taken of the meeting, with the names of the GOD-fearers written down, all the names of those who honored God’s name.
GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies said, “They’re mine, all mine. They’ll get special treatment when I go into action. I treat them with the same consideration and kindness that parents give a child who honors them. Once more you’ll see the difference it makes between being a person who does the right thing and one who doesn’t, between serving God and not serving Him.”
Malachi 3: 16-18 The Message
Let’s take that to heart people of God. Let’s honor Him with our words and actions in every arena we enter until He takes us Home. Let’s make it a point to gather together with believers and talk about the things of God, not man. He is listening and taking notes on what we say AND He knows the heart from which our words flow. I pray we are taking in as much, and then even more, of what HE says than what the media and other people are saying <3