Day 282

Get Ready, God Is Coming

Read: Malachi

This is the last book of the Bible before God comes in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ. But the people are not ready. They show that they do not take God seriously by three practices of theirs which displease him:

(1) They are bringing animals with defects to offer to the Lord. They will not give such defective animals as a gift to a government official, yet they will bring them to God although he had specifically commanded that animals offered in sacrifice to him should be without blemish (1:7-8). But are we often careless in our worship? Do we come to church with our hearts prepared? Do we give God top priority in the use of our time and our talents? Are we ready to meet God?

(2) They are breaking their marriage vows (2:14). Marriage is a covenant where two people promise to be absolutely faithful to each other. But they are not doing that. And such infidelity is probably more common today than it was in the day of Malachi. God is faithful and we are to be faithful to God and to each other.

(3) They are remiss in stewardship. God accuses them of robbing him. When they ask how they are doing this, he mentions their failure to tithe. He challenges them to give the full tithe, 10 percent of their income, and see if the Lord of hosts will not respond opening “the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing” (3:10). Try it, it works.

PRAYER
Father, prepare us for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to earth. In his name. Amen.