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See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. (Malachi 3: 1-4)
Dear Friend, today is our national day of mourning for the life of President George H.W. Bush, 41st President of The United States. May our hearts be united in prayer for the comfort of his family and our nation and all, anywhere, who mourn this loss. May we reflect on people who like President Bush, who seek to work together for the good of the nation. May this be a time to see beyond our divisions and obstacles, to see a vision of greatness and goodness for all people here and everywhere.
This season of Advent makes us aware of just how awesome our God truly is. This whole week of scripture passages has shown us just a glimpse of the mind of God and how everything worked together for our good. God visits the parents of John the Baptist, whom we recognize as God's messenger who prepared the way for Jesus, and today's passage is God visiting the last prophet of the Old Testament, who wrote about the coming days of God's might visit. It is a sad thought to read that God is preparing to "come to His temple." That indicates that God has been kept out of His own temple for various reasons. The lives and actions of His people kept Him away from times of worship, for they were meaningless and served no purpose. The live and actions of the leaders of God's people were pretty much setting the pace for the rest of the nation, and God chose to stay away. The religious leaders' hearts were pretty much focused on their own, and not on God; not an invitation to God to come. The temple really rocked when God was in it! Sad to imagine a spiritually empty place of worship. Yes, dear friends, we think of certain places of worship today; national news in recent days has been on violence that has occurred in them, not too many stories of the joyous kind that speak of love, compassion, mercy, and service. Are we keeping God away? Advent is the time to invite God back.
The return of God to the temple required a return of God's people to God. Yet, it would not be easy. God "is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap, " each cleansing in powerful and painful but thorough ways! And guess who's in need of a bath? Recently Nellie and I were talking with one of our daughters and she was laughingly sharing how when they would stay with their grandmother, they were not required to bathe on a daily basis and they loved that! We chuckled but not as enthusiastically as she. We thought of our own childhood and our thought was "Who has time to take a bath when you're having fun?" A bath for many children indicates the fun is almost over the day, supper and bedtime are next. The people of God were filthy in their thoughts, words, and actions. Everything about them said, "Wash me!" written in dust (yes, I'm thinking cars and trucks, gulp, my own! that have this written on the back windshield.). And God saying, through the prophet, "Oh, I'm coming and you will be bathed and made clean and presentable to me!" We look much better as gold and silver than we do mud and slop. We can then present ourselves as the living sacrifice the Lord requires. This is pleasing and pleasant to the Lord then and now.
PRAYER: Loving Father, forgive our childish ways. Forgive those times we have been so absorbed in the filth of this life that the carnal side of it has led us away from you. Please wash off the "Wash Me' sign our own guilt has written on our hearts and our eyes; make us presentable to You and presentable to Thy service. You are in the details of all things, be in me as I want to be a significant detail to the work needed in my home, neighborhood, community, and world. In the precious and powerful name of Jesus I pray, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Don't go around saying, "Hey, you have Wash Me sign on your life!" Remember you had one until now! Live a life that says, "I'm clean thanks to God!"
I love you all!
Eradio Valverde
