URC Daily Devotion 16th December

Malachi has just finished foretelling the coming of God’s messenger, the Lord of the Covenant. The people will have been brought up on the stories of the Covenant and of the Lord who rescued them from slavery, who brought them into the land in which they have been greatly blessed. But it is also about the God who was their Lord of the wilderness, of the time when they had nothing and yet, and yet they remembered how close they were to the Lord, as though He was personally with them through hard times. Ever since, though God rescued them again and again, they have rejected God, rebelled against God, disobeyed God, and shown this by their acts of injustice towards others, and their meanness in their giving to God.

The Lord of the Covenant came to Malachi,  “My people, I have not changed – I am still your God, and you are my children. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts”. The Lord of the Covenant came to us, as the human being, Jesus, with the same invitation. This is what I believe God spoke to me, but for us all –  “Come back to my Son.” God is waiting for us to return to Jesus . “How do we return?” Know how much God loves you, and  recognise Jesus  as your Lord and Saviour, your ever-present friend, and welcome Jesus into your life.