I want to offer a word of encouragement for all of those who continue to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. You make your Father and Lord smile endlessly at your extreme desire to live for Him at all cost. With this said I wish to share some things concerning two groups of people that call themselves believers in Christ. For you that live radically for Him this devotional will enlarge your capacity to rejoice and glorify the King of kings with no regrets. For those who often find themselves disappointed, frustrated, and constantly complaining that life is not fair, than this week's devotional will afford you some insight to what you can do to change that perspective. I hope all will prayerfully handle these words as those carefully spilled out for the betterment of all who read them.
There was a man that had placed a sign out in his front lawn that said, "Talking Dog for Sale." Later in the day another man came along and though skeptical, his curiosity pressed him to inquire of such an advertisement as a dog that could talk. The owner of the dog escorted the curious man to the backyard and here the man called out to the dog, "Do you talk?" And to his amazement the dog said, "Yep." The man proceeded to ask the dog, "So what's your story." It is here that the dog commenced to say, "Well, I discovered this gift when I was a young pup and since it was so special I went to work for the CIA.
They took my special abilities around the world to spy on world leaders because no one figured a dog could eavesdrop. I became one of their most valuable agents. I uncovered some incredible secrets and thereby awarded a bunch of medals. I later married and had a mess of pups, and now I have retired." The man could hardly believe his ears. Who ever heard of a dog that could talk? He was already thinking of ways he could use this eavesdropping dog. He turned to the owner and asked, "What will you take for him?" The owner replied, "Ten dollars." To which the other man replied, "Why so cheap?" The owner shook his head and said, "It's because he's a big fat liar!"
This brings us to another story I read about an older man who had serious hearing loss. This old man finally made up his mind to go see the doctor about this. The man was fitted with a set of very special hearing aids that enabled him to hear near perfectly. On his follow-up visit the doctor said, "Well, your hearing is at 100% capacity. I bet your family is pleased to know that you can now hear again." To which this old man replied, "Oh, I haven't told my family as of yet. I just sit around listening to their conversations. And you know...I have had to change my will three times now!"
As we look into this week's lesson it will become very helpful for us if we would think about God as eavesdropping in on some conversations between two different groups of people. Our first group is a people that always talked against God as being someone that could not be counted on when you needed Him most; whereas the other group spoke of how awesome and faithful God was to them. We will take our text from the book of Malachi 3:13-15 where we will actually find God eavesdropping in on these two groups of people.
Malachi 3:13-15 (MSG)
13 God says, "You have spoken hard, rude words to me. "You ask, 'When did we ever do that?'
14 "When you said, 'It doesn't pay to serve God. What do we ever get out of it? When we did what he said and went around with long faces, serious about God-of-the-Angel-Armies, what difference did it make?
15 Those who take life into their own hands are the lucky ones. They break all the rules and get ahead anyway. They push God to the limit and get by with it.' "
Our first group, we find were harboring three very stout complaints against God in their heart that they also were very quick to speak it out to others about Him:
Complaint #1: We've said nothing wrong. Here we read how they retorted that they have done nothing wrong. Yet look at what verse 13 tells us, "You have said harsh things against me, says the Lord." In other words, these people were openly being pigheaded with God. These folks for the seventh time in this book denied that they had a problem. Listen to their words, "What have we said against you?" As God eavesdrops on this group, notice he is not saying that the people are speaking strong words to Him, but rather they were speaking against Him. The word "said" means to speak to another as in conversation with them about someone else who is not present, and of course in this case it was God being talked about. When these people are confronted what do they do? They deny that they have done anything wrong. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to find people who will agree with our complaining? It seems we are attracted to those who are sympathetic to our own feelings.
Complaint #2: Serving God is a waste of time. In verse 14 we read how God is telling these people that in no uncertain terms they have complained against Him: "You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out His requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty?" I am sure when God dealt with their denial here that it had a very disarming effect on them. They more than likely thought that God could not hear what they were saying about Him. What we find here is that they basically rebutted that there was any profit through worshipping, serving, and tithing to God. We can see in this a revealing consumer mentality that promotes the idea of: What will I get out of this? Or what is in it for me? Their thoughts were very similar to what we read in Isaiah 58:3...
Isaiah 58:3 (MSG)
3 But they also complain, 'Why do we fast and you don't look our way? Why do we humble ourselves and you don't even notice?' "Well, here's why: "The bottom line on your 'fast days' is profit. You drive your employees much too hard.
Again we find it is much like the sentiment found over in the book of Job; when they did get involved in ministry it didn't produce anything worthwhile for them.
Job 21:15 (MSG)
15 Why should we have dealings with God Almighty? What's there in it for us?'
I assure you that this complaint is one that still rears up its ugly head within the church today. There are many who quit serving God because they felt it was not beneficial for what they put in to it. Yet, Scripture tells us not to lose heart...
1 Corinthians 15:58 (MSG)
58 With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don't hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.
One has to eventually ask themselves whether they are making this service to God more difficult than it needs to be. I believe God has designed each one of us with a unique purpose which promotes an expression within us to be involved in His purposes. Point in case: serving is extremely satisfying because in the schemes of God's creating of us, that is what we were designed to do. In other words, you and I were put on the earth to make a contribution. We are saved that we might serve; healed that we might help another; and blessed that we might be able to bless someone else.
Complaint #3 God is not fair. The third grievance within the minds of these complainer's, was that God was not fair. Verse 15 tells it all..."But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape." What these people were focused upon was how the proud were prospering. They were upset that these evil folks were always evading trouble while those who served God end up getting the short end of the stick. Their complaint was similar to what we find in Psalm 73...
Psalms 73:3 (NLT)
3 For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
Why should the wicked have everything that was supposed to be promised to God's people? In the eyes of these people God was not being fair at all. It all comes down to that since God has forgotten them they will forget Him. The Psalmist continues on in verse 4 - 5 about how the wicked seem to be free from difficulty for all their deplorable actions.
Psalms 73:4-5 (NLT)
4 They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5 They don't have troubles like other people; they're not plagued with problems like everyone else.
Now let us look at the second group of people who God had eavesdropped in on and witness some worthwhile revelation.
Malachi 3:16-18 (NLT)
16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.
17 "They will be my people," says the Lord of Heaven's Armies. "On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child.
18 Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."
What we can see about these people in comparison to our first group discussed is that these held two key elements that revealed that they were committed believers:
· Their character: was always exalting God no matter what they were faced with.
· Their conduct: was always edifying each other to continue in the faithfulness of God.
This second group feared the Lord. They held Him in reverent awe and respect as being the Creator of all things as well as man. They understood that He was an all-consuming fire and one to be in enamored to His glory and holiness. For them God is the "Lord of Hosts, the Most High God, the King of kings, and the Almighty One who is holy!
This remnant in Malachi was in tune with the character of who God is; and their conduct expressed it faithfully in all that they spoke. These understood the value of walking with the wise and forsaking those who wish to remain a fool. Those who are spiritually alive will seek out others of like commitment and here they will fellowship.
Proverbs 13:20 (NLT)
20 Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.
If we try to do the Christian life solo, sin will harden and deceive us. Therefore, we need to hang around wise people in the faith and avoid those who participate in foolish affairs in life.
I realize this teaching has evolved into a rather lengthy devotional, but there is so much to say regarding this window to which Malachi affords us to listen in on these two groups for our edification. Let me now bring this to a conclusion if I may. I will close with five characteristics of God found in our text today that should encourage every believer to keep their victory stance no matter what they are facing presently.
1. The Lord listens to us: "...and the Lord listened and heard." We that put our trust in God we know full well that He always hears us. As it says in Psalm 33:18, the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him; and again over in Psalm 34:15 He reminds us that His ears are attentive to the cries of the righteous. When we turn to God, He tunes into our frequency of faith upon His faithfulness to do what He said He would do.
2. The Lord remembers us: "A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name." The very idea of God keeping a record appears as early as Exodus 32:32. And probably the most beautiful expression of this is found in Isaiah 49:16, "See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands." I find it very encouraging to note that God captures my every tear, and places them in a bottle (Psalm 56:8). God never forgets our crying. In fact, God doesn't need to look in a book to remember us. The only thing He forgets about you and me is our sins.
3. The Lord claims us: "They will be mine, says the Lord Almighty." Have you ever savored the fact that you no longer belong to yourself? We have a different owner, His name is Jesus (1 Cor. 6:19-20). We see this beautifully expressed over in (1 Peter 2:9).
4. The Lord treasures us: "In the day when I make up my treasured possession." Did you know that God treasures you? Let me put it this way, He is crazy about you! We matter to Him more than we often realize. Zephaniah 3:17 says it all, "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Wow!
5. The Lord spares us: "I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him." Because God listens to us, remembers us, claims us, and treasures us, He promises that He will spare us. God is just, therefore we receive justice. Yet because He is merciful, we don't receive what we deserve. In fact, we receive much more than we could ever deserve...this is called grace! We ought to be thankful that God gave up His own Son that He might receive us. What a glorious King He is, and what a degree of amazing love was shed upon the hearts of them that put their trust in Him. They will not be disappointed!
I pray that as you read this devotional that you will consider how you speak concerning this God who loved us so much. Never measure His goodness or faithfulness by some circumstance that you may be faced with...God is extremely faithful to those who serve Him to the extreme that they love not their life as their own! You are now entering the "No Complaint Zone!"
