THE LORD SPOKE (December 31)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Malachi 1-4

When would you find yourself turning to the book of Malachi? This “little” book packs a big message. Not only is it the known source for three or four key biblical topics (divorce, tithing, Messiah’s forerunner), it is chock full of memorable statements. Consider for example:

• Mal. 1:5 - “Great is the Lord - even beyond the borders of Israel.” That message has reached the uttermost parts of the earth - all the way to America. Look at it on the globe. We’re just about as far away as you can get from the land of Israel but the word has come even to us.
• Mal. 1:6-7 and Mal. 3:7-8 - “But you ask...but you ask....” With this rhetorical device, Malachi slams the people’s self-righteous complacency and lets them see just how foolish is their position.
• Mal. 1:8 - God says, “Try offering your scuzzy junk to someone else. Don’t give me your left-overs.”
• Mal. 2:1-2 - How about it? Have you “set your heart to honor the Lord”? Is it a passion of your life?
• Mal. 2:10,11,14,15,16 - “Guard yourself in your spirit and DO NOT BREAK FAITH” (with one another, with your spouse, with God Himself).
• Mal. 2:16 - God says, “I hate divorce!” Need anything else be said on this subject? Apparently yes, judging by over 50% of our society. And our churches are no better. It’s quite obvious - we love divorce today. Do we not listen to God?
• Mal. 3:1 & 4:5 - John the Baptist (“my messenger”) and Elijah are both promised as forerunners of the Messiah - one for His first advent and the other for His second advent. The first prophecy was fulfilled literally. The second one will be also.
• Mal. 3:10 - The one matter in which God says, “Put me to the test” (something we’re generally quite good at) is in our giving! Have you “proved God” in this area? Do you give to the point you make Him take notice?
• Mal. 3:16 - Forget Santa’s silly list. God Almighty keeps a written record of those who fear and honor Him. Is your name on that list?
• Mal. 4:1,5 - The Day of the Lord is “great and dreadful” (today we’d probably say “awesome”) and it is coming.
• Mal. 4:2 - Here’s an anchor for your soul: “the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings”.

The last book of the Bible is certainly not the least!


Proverbs 31

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. (Prov. 31:10)

As you go down through the remainder of this chapter verse-by-verse, you can compile quite a list of godly character traits:

• Prov. 31:11 - trustworthy
• Prov. 31:12 - devoted
• Prov. 31:13 - industrious
• Prov. 31:14 - enterprising
• Prov. 31:15 - conscientious
• Prov. 31:16 - initiative
• Prov. 31:17 - energetic
• Prov. 31:18 - productive
• Prov. 31:19 - diligent
• Prov. 31:20 - generous
• Prov. 31:21 - dependable
• Prov. 31:22 - creative
• Prov. 31:23 - supportive
• Prov. 31:24 - resourceful
• Prov. 31:25 - content
• Prov. 31:26 - wise
• Prov. 31:27 - meticulous
• Prov. 31:28 - loyal
• Prov. 31:29 - respected
• Prov. 31:30 - spiritual
• Prov. 31:31 - praiseworthy

Such a wife is a rare treasure. The initial question, “who can find” such a one (Prov. 31:10) does not imply impossibility. A wife like this is a wonderful gift from God. He can and does produce such godly character.

Men, it’s worth looking for these qualities and it’s certainly worth trying to build up your wife in these areas, encouraging and praising her progress. It is, in part, what is meant by “presenting her as radiant” (see Eph. 5:25-27).

Ladies, it’s worth striving for. Did you ever see the button that had the initials: “T.G.H.N.F.W.M.Y.” on it? It stands for “Thank God, He’s not finished with me yet.” Wear it with humility - and with thankfulness for what He can do!

THE LORD SPOKE (December 19)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jonah 1-4

He was the original “Chicken of the Sea”. He tried hard to run from God and was almost successful but when God called Jonah back, he was given a second chance (Jonah 3:1). Aren’t you glad He’s the God of the second chance?

Do you like simple outlines? Try this one:

Chapter 1 - God said, “Go!”
Chapter 2 - Jonah said, “No.”
Chapter 3 - God said, “Oh?”
Chapter 4 - God said, “So!”

Actually, Jonah gets three chances in this book and he doesn’t do so well even after his first lesson. The turning point came in the belly of the great fish. Engulfed, with seaweed wrapped around his head (Jonah 2:5), and swimming in gastric juice, Jonah finally “remembered the Lord” (Jonah 2:7). In his own words, the lesson he learned was:

Those who cling to worthless idols
forfeit the grace that could be theirs. (Jonah 2:8)

But only days later he’s found clinging to a worthless weed! Because the vine God provided (Jonah 4:6) to shade his head was eaten by a worm and withered (Jonah 4:7), Jonah went into a major pout. In response to God’s rhetorical question, he goes even further: “I’m angry enough to die.” Over a weed!

How can we be so blind? Do you think that, in God’s eyes, we are often guilty of sins every bit as silly as Jonah’s? Where would we be if He wasn’t the God of the second chance?

Thank you Lord for putting up with me. Sometimes, I make myself sick. How can you love me so? Thank you for listening to my petty whining, my endless vanities, for clinging to worthless things that keep me from knowing your grace. Thank you for giving me another chance. Please help me trust you as I should and to be consistent and faithful in my walk with you. I love you, Lord!


Proverbs 19

Are you a drip?

Sometimes the man in your life can be a real dud and it seems like you have to harp on some things or they’ll never get done. (By the way, most of this applies both ways in terms of gender - the ladies don’t have a monopoly here.)

Solomon compares a quarrelsome wife with a constant and annoying drip (Prov. 19:13). It’s background noise that not only won’t go away but that soon dominates all consciousness and becomes obnoxious. In contrast, he says that “a prudent wife is from the Lord” (Prov. 19:14b). Similarly, in the previous chapter, Solomon tells us, “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord” (Prov. 18:22). The context of the Proverbs 19:14 statement is what you might inherit from your parents. But, even in an arranged marriage, they can’t give you a prudent wife - that is something that must come from the Lord. Only He can give you a good wife - the one who is just right for you.

Back in Proverbs 12:4, we were told that “a wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.” So the question is, “A wife of noble character, who can find?” (Prov. 31:10). You need to look over and pick one as well as you’re able, but ultimately you can’t see into the future and present appearances may be deceiving. She may look like a gem now but turn out to be a jerk later.

Here’s the good news: God delights to take broken things and fashion and reshape them into something better than new. Remember, “a prudent wife comes from the Lord”. He’s not bound by any sequencing or by any time constraints. He can do His work now just as well as yesterday and it doesn’t matter in the least if the vessel is broken in half or smashed to a thousand bits. He can make it better than new.

That should be an encouragement to the man who thinks he’s ended up with a drip as well as to the wife who really wants to be a crown. But it’s no less true for the husband who’s a major jerk and needs to experience some major change in order that he might have a radiant bride once again.

In both cases, the answer will be found in a vital relationship with the Lord.