the second verse in the Old Testament Book of Malachi says:
“I have loved you,” says the LORD.
”But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’
yesterday @ church (www.eccbloomington.org), our youth pastor, Matt Wooden, talked about the book of Malachi. and it was powerful. the verse listed above really stuck with me as Matt dived into what this verse is really saying in our lives today.
the Lord loves us. He always has and always will. Yet, in the midst of a struggling economy, hard times, confusion as to where you are going to work and live, the list goes on, we ask God how He has loved us. Whoa. I think that if I was God, I would first lay a little smack-down and then look at each of His creation’s in the eye and say “are you REALLY asking me how I have loved you??” That even though this nation is going through hard times fiscally that we still have enough, it may just not be all the “things” we have had before, that we still have love and fellowship, and most importantly- we still have a HOPE in our ETERNITY?
As I am waiting to hear back from my job interview last weekend and counting down the days until our marriage begins (124), I think it is easy to ask God how He has loved me. I just want answers. I am the type of person, and come from the type of family, who wants answers and works to get those answers. However, God does not work according to my timeline or my plan. But what the beginning of Malachi taught me was that even if my job is not what I want it to be and the money doesn’t come in the amount I would like it to, God still loves me. more than I could ever love him or anything else. so rather than questioning Him, I think maybe our society should calm down and rest in His love… in fact, I challenge you to that this week as you are finishing up work and school before the holiday season- rest in the Lord and know that HE LOVES YOU and will provide on His terms, which always always always end up better than what we could have imagined.
amen, sista!! beautifully written