13y Malachi 1:2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?”
Although the urging of Haggai and Zechariah had brought the completion of the temple (516 b.c.), this had not produced the messianic age many expected. This left the nation discouraged and disappointed in what they thought were unfulfilled promises. This led them towards a low regard for God. The warm response to Zechariah’s call to repentance had grown cold, because God apparently had not restored the covenant blessings. Malachi, writing a short time later, called the people to repentance with respect to: the priesthood, which had become corrupt; worship, which had become routine; divorce, which was widespread; social justice, which was being ignored; and tithing, which was neglected. “Will man rob God?” the Lord asked through Malachi (3:8), and he promised to “open the windows of heaven” (v. 10) for those who pay their full tithe. Malachi predicted the coming of both John the Baptist and Jesus, referring to each as a “messenger” of God (3:1).
We can go day after day and wonder if God is working in our life and if He is wonder what it is He is working on. It is hard to come to some kind of conclusion if our heart is full of something else and our mind is occupied by something else. We get sideways to God when our heart, mind and soul are not filled with His Word and our desire for it is lacking. We may not say “How have you loved us?” to God but does His displayed love for us, change us, guide us, build us, empower us, and convince us to live humbly before Him in praise, worship, trust, reliance, obedience, and faith? How can we tell if our heart and mind is sideways to God if His Word is being neglected? the truth is we can’t. Apart from His Word welling richly in our heart and mind there is nothing to guide and direct our paths, thoughts, and actions.
