Malachi’s Burden
Families that live together become familiar with another. Familiarity can mean joy, trust, and security, but it could also result in a casual or even unhealthy way of relating. Consider the behaviors of a household both with and then without the presence of visitors. If being on our best behavior with a guest then defaults to an ongoing disconnected, dismissive, or disrespectful pattern without, the familiarity of living together has become insecure.
Redemptive family of our Father consists of joy, trust, and security in living together. However, over time a very serious threat can develop for those living in the church—familiarity can become insecure. This may present itself in a range of behaviors and attitudes, including but not limited to a sense of entitlement, contempt, or irreverence. Where first love once flourished, bitterness can take root.
When the Word became flesh in the first century, the religious leaders of Yahweh’s people succumbed to their unhealthy familiarity instead of a hospitable welcome of the Messiah. Sadly, they cannot say they were not warned of this very serious threat.
Malachi had warned them. And Malachi still warns us today. I’ve been reading his oracle, or burden.
This Advent, let’s consider Malachi’s burden for the condition within the household of faith. Does our life in the church reflect joy, trust, and security, or has familiarity led us into something short of our Father’s first love for us in Jesus?
Malachi’s last word in the Old Testament prepares God’s people for the first Word revealed in the New Testament. Many living among and familiar with the family of God have missed the advent of Jesus then and now. Through Malachi, the Father calls for us to examine our shared presence to understand the true condition within. Through this Advent remembrance, let’s learn to return to Him from irreverence, treachery, and robbery. May we discover anew what it is to live with him . . . together.