Present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.

Malachi 3:1-6, “Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, 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. And He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings 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. Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien, and do not fear Me,” says the LORD of hosts. “For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.”

One of my favorite teachers taught us last week about John the Baptist as seen in Luke 1, to whom the prophet refers as “My messenger” here. It’s interesting that Malachi’s book, written just before the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments, ends with the message that the hearts of the fathers should turn to the children. Our teacher taught us that John’s messages had three components of ministry. Firstly, he gives us a call to repentance. Secondly he calls us to action to turn our face to the Lord and thirdly he calls us to have an attitude of righteousness and to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children. Even if we aren’t natural fathers He will enable us to be spiritual fathers!

I repent and turn to You, Lord: inspire me with Your attitude of righteousness and help me as I turn my face to the children that You have given me!