The Book of MalachiSample

Love

Malachi records six conversations between God and His people, each one revealing how God wants us to be free from mediocre Christianity and to live lives fully devoted to Him. Malachi (meaning ‘messenger’) wrote down this prophecy in the 5th Century BC. Times were tough. God’s people faced drought, famine, economic stress, opposition from surrounding nations, and a temple that seemed too weak to withstand the cultural onslaught. Considering the state of our world today, Malachi’s message is profoundly relevant to us.

The first conversation (Malachi 1:1-5) is about love. God tells the people of His immeasurable love for them – but they’re skeptical. ‘How have You loved us?’ they ask – even though they’ve grown up memorizing scriptures and hearing countless stories of God’s love displayed in the past. I know all those scriptures and stories too – and God has broken into my own story with His love – and yet in difficult seasons I’ve found myself asking God, ‘How have You loved me?’ Maybe you can relate. Let’s remember that God’s story is a love story because God is love. His love is unconditional, full, and free. When we don’t grasp that, the problem is with us, not with God.

In response to the people’s question, God reminds them of Jacob and Esau. The gist of their story (found in Genesis 25-27) is that God gets to choose who He shows love to. Both Jacob (who stole his brother’s birthright) and Esau (who despised his father and disobeyed God’s commands) were as bad as each other. Neither deserved any blessing at all. And yet God covered Jacob with His mercy. This is hard to swallow – it feels totally unfair – but Paul references this story in Romans 9:11-16, explaining that God’s love doesn’t depend on human desire or effort, but on His mercy.

Let that sink in. God doesn’t love you because you’re better than anyone else. His love isn’t based on your performance but on His promise. He loves you because He’s chosen to. It doesn’t depend on how you feel or how you measure up to others.

Mostly, this is easy to accept when things are going well. But when you’ve sinned? The enemy can convince you that you’re unlovable. You’re hamstrung by guilt and regret, believing God’s love for you has diminished because of what you’ve done. But again, God’s love for His people was based on proof, not pretending (Malachi 1:3-4), and that’s true for you too. Any threats to God’s promise of love will be defeated, and He will achieve His purposes in you and through you.

Don’t succumb to cynicism or the dangerous belief that God loves you only when you perfectly obey. Whether your faith feels strong or weak right now, shame and failure aren’t writing your script. The story of your life is that God has chosen to bestow His love on you, and even the most dire circumstances can’t diminish it. May you wholeheartedly embrace God’s love, allowing it to motivate your every move.