"Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?"
Malachi 3:7
I really like this verse. I think it illustrates the great love that God has for us. He knows our history and the problems we have with obedience... generations of problems. And still, he loves us; he is patient, helping us learn, encouraging us to do better... and promising us that if we DO return that we will return to us as well. The problem is that so often we don't see our own issues. We talk ourselves into thinking that everything is fine, that we're all good, and we don't need to improve. ... But we all do. Everyone has so much untapped potential, and if we just stop improving ourselves or trying to do better, it is kind of like mastering fifth grade and deciding to stop there. No need to grow up, get a job, learn how to drive... whatever. We're good as is. And plainly, we just aren't. :) Not that we're unlovable as is. We're just not done growing, and we still have a lot to learn. If we look at ourselves and we really see no faults, then "wherein shall we return" is probably a good question to ask. Kind of like the person that was talking to Jesus who asked what else he needed to do, and Christ told him to live the commandments, but he said he had been doing that all his life. So, then Jesus told him the one thing he lacked was to sell everything he had and give it to the poor, and to come follow him. It was an amazing invitation to come and be one of his disciples, but he was sad to be asked to do that. Sometimes what God asks is hard for us. And it should be, or we wouldn't be learning anything. Today, if we know how to return to God, let's *do* it. Let's take the first steps back. And if we don't know how, or what we need to change, then let's ask. God is completely willing to tell us, if we are ready to hear. :)
Malachi 3:7
I really like this verse. I think it illustrates the great love that God has for us. He knows our history and the problems we have with obedience... generations of problems. And still, he loves us; he is patient, helping us learn, encouraging us to do better... and promising us that if we DO return that we will return to us as well. The problem is that so often we don't see our own issues. We talk ourselves into thinking that everything is fine, that we're all good, and we don't need to improve. ... But we all do. Everyone has so much untapped potential, and if we just stop improving ourselves or trying to do better, it is kind of like mastering fifth grade and deciding to stop there. No need to grow up, get a job, learn how to drive... whatever. We're good as is. And plainly, we just aren't. :) Not that we're unlovable as is. We're just not done growing, and we still have a lot to learn. If we look at ourselves and we really see no faults, then "wherein shall we return" is probably a good question to ask. Kind of like the person that was talking to Jesus who asked what else he needed to do, and Christ told him to live the commandments, but he said he had been doing that all his life. So, then Jesus told him the one thing he lacked was to sell everything he had and give it to the poor, and to come follow him. It was an amazing invitation to come and be one of his disciples, but he was sad to be asked to do that. Sometimes what God asks is hard for us. And it should be, or we wouldn't be learning anything. Today, if we know how to return to God, let's *do* it. Let's take the first steps back. And if we don't know how, or what we need to change, then let's ask. God is completely willing to tell us, if we are ready to hear. :)
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