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1 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. 2 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; 3 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. 4 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 NRSV Bible)
I grew up in a small town near the railroad tracks. Every year, or so it seemed, the circus would come to town. I wish I could remember the name of the circus company, but it was quite the event. About a week or two before its arrival by train, the circus would hire men to walk the streets around the town handing out flyers. And what flyers they were! Full color, different type fonts, pictures of elephants and clowns, trapeze artists and other eye-catching scenes that made every little boy and girl want to go to the circus! These messengers had already sold the circus to the poprulation that had no money, but with what influence they could muster up, and if moms and dads had some money, you can be sure those seats inside the big top would be filled. The hearts and minds of the little ones were already filled with joy and wonder of what was coming!
So should it be with Advent. In this passage in the last book of the Old Testament, the prophet is relaying God's word about the excitment of the coming event. There would only be one messenger to prepare the way for this coming One. We know what that event was; it was the birth of the Christ child, and thank God we know of the impact that event continues to have on the world even today!
Advent is a season of preparation, of waiting and watching for the coming of Christ into our lives and our world. As we light the candles on our Advent wreath and count down the days to Christmas, Malachi's prophecy invites us to reflect on what it means for the Lord to come—to truly come—into our hearts.
In these verses, we hear of a coming "messenger" who will prepare the way, and of the Lord who will come suddenly to His temple. This moment is not one of mere celebration or sweetness, but one of deep refinement and purification. The imagery Malachi uses is striking: the Lord is described as a refiner's fire and as fuller’s soap.
The process of refining is not a comfortable one. Silver and gold must endure intense heat to be purified, and so too, our hearts must face the refining fire of God's presence to be made pure. The "fuller’s soap" refers to the harsh cleansing agents used to remove dirt and impurities from wool—again, a picture of intense purification. In these images, we are reminded that Christ's coming is not just about offering us a gentle peace or the joy of the holiday season; it is also a call to allow God to purify and refine us.
This Advent, as we prepare for the coming of Christ, let us not only long for His peace and joy but also for the refining work He desires to do within us. Are there areas of your life that need purification—attitudes, habits, or relationships that require God’s cleansing touch? Perhaps there are wounds or burdens that need healing before the fullness of God’s peace can take root in your heart. Advent is an invitation to open those places to God, to invite the refiner’s fire to purify and transform us.
PRAYER: Loving and awesome God, As we wait for Your coming this Advent season, we invite You into the depths of our hearts. We recognize that Your coming is not only a moment of celebration but also a call to be refined and purified. We ask that You would purify us like silver and gold, removing the impurities of sin and selfishness from our lives. Refine our hearts so that we may offer ourselves in righteousness to You, pleasing in Your sight. Help us to wait with patience, knowing that Your purification is for our good, and that in the end, we will be made more fully into the people You have called us to be. Come, Lord Jesus, and prepare our hearts for Your arrival.This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Take some time each week to reflect on areas in your life where God may be calling you to a deeper purification. Is there a relationship that needs reconciliation? A habit that needs breaking? A burden that needs to be laid down? Why not set aside a moment of quiet reflection and invite God to purify your heart. Commit to actions of reconciliation, forgiveness, and healing, trusting that the refining fire of God is for your transformation. As you wait for Christ’s coming, let His love and grace refine you into the person He has created you to be.
I love you and I thank God for you!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
