They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, my special possession on the day when I act, and I will spare them as parents spare their children who serve them.

Malachi literally means “Messenger”, and this passage is a message to those who revered the Lord. In it, God reiterates a promise to save those who are not ‘arrogant evildoers’. Malachi contrasts the punishment of burning up the wicked, leaving neither root nor branch, with the joyful leaping of the righteous, healed by the rising sun.

I always struggle with passages that compare the fates of the righteous vs. the wicked. I want to be counted among the righteous, but I know that striving for good standing before God is kind of impossible. I’m stuck here, unless I focus on God’s desire to be in relationship – promising a love for us as deep as a parent’s love for their child. Don’t miss the promise here as well – we join the people of the Old Testament in waiting and hoping for that day when God acts – will this be the day when God’s love comes in the embodiment of parental love for our broken world?

Gracious God, you come to us every day, seeking us out with your messengers from ancient times right through the present day. Grant us ears to hear your message of healing for our brokenness, and eyes to look for your presence in our everyday lives.

Written By: Scott Zimmerman