July 30, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“‘Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ The Lord asks, ‘Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob Me.‘ But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ The Lord replies, ‘In tithes and offerings.’” (Malachi 3.7b-8)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD TO US:

The call to repentance is given a working image in today’s word from God to us. In English, “return,” or turn around, is the usual interpretation of the word “repentance.” The call of John the Baptizer who preached mostly east of Jerusalem along the Jordan River and into the wilderness [of sin], cried out, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” His call was for the people to stop sinning, stop tolerating sin in their midst and pursue the righteousness of God. The baptism of John was far more than ceremonial cleansing which could be done at home or at times even in the Temple. The baptism of John was an anointing for service to God. It made the one baptized fit for doing God’s will and God’s work. It affirmed the call to turn one’s life around from “self-service” to “serving God.” The word “to serve” can also be translated “to love.” To love God is our best service. It should also be our first priority. The very fact that it was not, has not been and currently is not demonstrates the effects of our “sin-fection.” The question for all people, especially the mighty ones of God is, “Do you want to be made well?” (reference John 5.6) The follow-up question would be “Do you believe?” (Matthew 9.28) Mighty ones, our healing and our protection against the dark forces of the enemy of God and humanity, indeed the entire creation, is not contingent upon how much faith exists within the Godhead. No, it is by our faith that we are able to receive the wellness and protection we ask for. The path to wellness, just as the attacks of the enemy, may be difficult requiring faith and diligence to endure until the work in us is completed. (Philippians 1.6) If we do not believe, if we do not have faith, then the gift which is being given will not be received. Jesus as the Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, died for our salvation to be made complete in Him. However, just because He died for our sins and to effect our salvation does not mean we are saved. If we doubt, as did Thomas when he heard the witness of his fellow disciples that “Jesus appeared to them,” then we continue to walk in darkness demanding what we will not see. Our baptism is not merely “an outward sign of an inward transformation” if we keep the transformation to ourselves. We must then “walk by faith and not merely by sight” before God, humanity and all creation. If we will not and if we do not, then we are not. This is tantamount to “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit” who bears witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ for all people everywhere! The call to “repentance” is the call to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul; and to love your neighbor as yourself [are loved by God.]”

What if we do not? Applying the word given to Israel and its “priesthood of believers, including the Levites” through Malachi is poignant. If we do not “return” to God, then God’s return to us will be devastating. This use of “return,” however, speaks of benefit and blessing. If we do not “love” God, then how can God’s love for us be manifested in a blessing? For even if God so loved us, as He has, so as to offer us salvation through faith and belief in Jesus as the Christ, if we do not love and accept this truth, then how can we be saved? This is the question the disciples posed, if you remember from the story of the Rich Young Ruler, believing that the rich had a better chance of being saved because they had a greater blessing (money, property, office and prestige). If you were poor and the rich could not be saved, then how could you be saved? Of course, we know the answer. The answer is “by grace alone.” Yet, we still must have faith and believe. We must also then by our faith and belief that Jesus is the Christ and our Lord and Savior serve the Lord with gladness and perseverance. What of the blessing that has been invested in us? If we keep it to ourselves, then what “good” does it do? We can reference here the Parable of the Talents/Pounds. In that parable the one whose redeeming value was only one talent feared losing the master’s investment. He did not believe in the master’s belief in him. He did not believe in himself. He did believe in the harshness of the master for those who would betray the trust, steal the property or worse consume it for themselves. You can see how the thinking works then on God’s justice. He metes out His justice on all because He has invested His mercy, grace, love and favor on all. However, all do not receive or receiving it do not believe there is any accountability to God for it. They are consumers and not producers. They are thieves! For those in Malachi’s day, the blessing was the restoration of Israel, the Temple, the blessing of leadership according to the Jewish faith in God and abundance. The refusal to acknowledge the blessing and the privilege of maintaining it was tantamount to “theft.” They were not “repentant” because they kept their tithes and offerings for themselves. Either they believe they were compensation for being “the people of God” or they did not believe that God would be just. What do we think, mighty ones of God, in His investment in us?

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works which bring others near to Jesus in faith, hope and love. AMEN.