Corona Devo 142

It's time to come home.  

(Metaphorically speaking) our Nation has stayed out too late, broken curfew, "acted out", thrown enough temper-tantrums and just plain behaved-badly for too long.  It's time to come home...to Jesus.  

The sad part is that our pride keeps us from seeing and owning our sinful distance from God.  We don't even realize how far we've strayed, in fact, we have the audacity to argue with the Lord about the loyalties of our hearts.  We think we are "good enough".

He knows that we are not giving Him our whole hearts, our whole selves, or our whole tithe (offering).   The proof of our deficiencies is in our failing National/social/moral pudding. 

And even though the Lord could shut and lock the front door on us, His love is too deep for that.

6 “I am the Lord, and I do not change... 7 ...Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.  “But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’

8 “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!  “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’  “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. ~Malachi 3:6-9

I shudder to accept the notion that our whole Nation is under a curse, and these verses were written for a different people who lived at a different time, but I absolutely believe that God's word is alive and relevant to us today.  If we are honest enough to own the similarities between the ancient Israelites and Americans today, as described in these verses, then perhaps we can also apply God's promise that He will return to us if we return to Him.   It's time to come home...to Jesus.   

God gets specific on our infidelity to Him: You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me (Malachi 3:8).  God is referring to the monetary and physical tithes that the Israelites (and us!) were commanded to give to the Lord.  But why does this matter?  You and I both know that God doesn't need our money.  Aha!--But God knows that our purse strings are so intimately connected to our heart strings.  So many of us lose the battle to pride and entitlement when it comes to our money.  We earned it, it's ours.  We take comfort and stability from money.  We gain security from it.  ...Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 3:7).  God wants us to take comfort and stability from Him, not our money.  He wants us to gain security from Him, not our stuff.  And He knows something that we often forget--it all comes from Him.

The money piece and struggle is huge for many of us, and it is a stronghold that will separate us from God if we allow it to.  But in addition to our resources, I feel that we as a Nation are withholding another type of "tithe and offering" from the Lord: Our hearts.   Our whole and undivided hearts.  We are scattered in so many directions and factions and fears and entitlements that we have cheated (God) of the tithes and offerings due to (Him).  ~Malachi 3:8.   It's time to come home...to Jesus.   

And not only does the Lord promise, "return to me, and I will return to you,” (Malachi 3:7), but God powerfully challenges us to test Him in this.   If we submit our hearts, finances, and lives to the Lord, He is pleased.  

10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! 11 Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 12 “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. ~Malachi 3:10-12

Sound too good to be true?  I agree.  But I won't argue with God's word, and I can think of many examples in my life where He has blessed me beyond what I deserve.  How about you?  His bounty doesn't make sense, because we are so unworthy of it, but He is the Boss.  

What if a heart-change in returning to the Lord could bring these results in our lives?  What if heart-changes in people returning to the Lord across our Nation could cause all nations (to) call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight (Malachi 3:12).   It's time to come home...to Jesus.   

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com/


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