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Malachi 3:5-18(Good News Translation)
Tuesday
November 10, 2009
Called to be Free to Give God Thanks and Praise
Introduction
Malachi 3:5-18: Malachi was written to remind the people of God's love, and to call them back to a joyful obedience of God. In today's passage, Malachi says that God will soon come to judge the people, but that God is being slow to act in order to give them another chance. He says that if they will keep his law and give generous offerings, they will receive God's blessings.
Today's Scripture: Malachi 3:6a
"I am the LORD, and I do not change."
How is this Scripture passage speaking to me today?
Today's Reading
5The LORD Almighty says, I will appear among you to judge, and I will testify at once against those who practice magic, against adulterers, against those who give false testimony, those who cheat employees out of their wages, and those who take advantage of widows, orphans, and foreigners—against all who do not respect me.6I am the LORD, and I do not change. And so you, the descendants of Jacob, are not yet completely lost.7You, like your ancestors before you, have turned away from my laws and have not kept them. Turn back to me, and I will turn to you. But you ask, What must we do to turn back to you?8I ask you, is it right for a person to cheat God? Of course not, yet you are cheating me. How? you ask. In the matter of tithes and offerings.9A curse is on all of you because the whole nation is cheating me.10Bring the full amount of your tithes to the Temple, so that there will be plenty of food there. Put me to the test and you will see that I will open the windows of heaven and pour out on you in abundance all kinds of good things.11I will not let insects destroy your crops, and your grapevines will be loaded with grapes.12Then the people of all nations will call you happy, because your land will be a good place to live.13You have said terrible things about me, says the LORD. But you ask, What have we said about you?14You have said, It's useless to serve God. What's the use of doing what he says or of trying to show the LORD Almighty that we are sorry for what we have done?15As we see it, proud people are the ones who are happy. Evil people not only prosper, but they test God's patience with their evil deeds and get away with it.16Then the people who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard what they said. In his presence, there was written down in a book a record of those who feared the LORD and respected him.17They will be my people, says the LORD Almighty. On the day when I act, they will be my very own. I will be merciful to them as parents are merciful to the children who serve them.18Once again my people will see the difference between what happens to the righteous and to the wicked, to the person who serves me and the one who does not.Reflect
The people of Israel were supposed to give a tenth of everything they harvested, as well as animals, to the LORD. The ten percent belonged to God, meaning they were to be used in temple sacrifices and to support the temple priests and their families. Choosing not to give the required offerings was like robbing God and failing to support God's servants, the priests. What does the act of tithing (giving ten percent of your income to the church) mean to you today?
Pray
Generous God, you have filled my life with everything I need. May I show my gratitude through my gifts to your Church, that they may further your kingdom. Amen.
Prayer Concern
Those discerning their financial contribution to support the work of the Church
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