Covenant living or empty religiosity...

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Thursday, November 20, 2008
Devotions: Ps 105; Mal 2:1-16; Jas 4:13-5:6; Lk 17:20-37

Give thanks and sing to God; tell of His wonderful works. Let their hearts rejoice who seek God and His strength. Seek His presence continually. He keeps His word. He cares for His people. He provides for their future. The history of God’s care for His people shows His love, His constancy and His resourcefulness. God is holy; God is loving. Let us remember both, and let us praise the Lord.
Malachi warned God’s priests: ‘Because you do not listen and take to heart My honor, I will withdraw My favor and put you out of My presence. I made a covenant of life and peace with your ancestor Levi; he showed awe and respect for Me, and gave true guidance to My people; he repented personally, and he also led many others away from iniquity. The lips of a priest should guard knowledge; people should seek the priest’s instruction, because the priest is messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you are false, turning away from Me yourselves, and misleading others so that they stumble. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi; consequently, you will be despised and abased among the people; you have shown partiality in your instruction.’ And Malachi said to the people: ‘Don’t we all have the same Father, the same Creator? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning our ancestral covenant? We have turned from YHWH; we have fouled and neglected His sanctuary; we have joined ourselves to other gods. YHWH must cut off such heretics from His people, and He cannot accept offerings made in such unfaithfulness. You cover YHWH’s altar with tears; you weep and groan because your offerings are refused and you are desolate. The reason is your faithlessness—a deep spiritual betrayal. We are espoused to God, made and sustained to be filled with His Spirit. God wants His people to multiply, bringing children and proselytes into His community.’ Giving voice to the Lord: ‘I hate divorce; I hate violence. Take heed and cease your faithless rebellion.’ And again addressing the human community: ‘You have wearied the Lord with your words, voicing your twisted thoughts. You demand divine justice, even as you suffer the first pangs of just punishment. God has not left you; rather, you have betrayed God! You profane His character by saying everyone who does evil is good in God’s sight, and He delights in them. Wrong!’
James wrote: ‘Don’t pretend you know what the future holds; mortals are a mist that appears and vanishes. Such an attitude is boastful and evil. Have more humility; say “If the Lord wills, we’ll live and do this or that.” Moreover, omitting good is sin, as surely as doing evil. Let the worldly rich weep and howl about the miseries to come for them; your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. You seek to lay up treasure in the last days, and the poor cry out, whose labor you have exploited; God heeds these cries. You have lived in offensive luxury, indulging yourselves; you fatten yourselves in days of leanness. You think you’re getting away with murdering the righteous to serve your greed. Wrong!’
The Pharisees asked Jesus when God’s kingdom was coming. He answered: ‘God’s kingdom is in your midst right now.’ Then He spoke to His own disciples: ‘In the future, you will long for My days. People around you will be trumpeting their interpretations of the signs of the times, but don’t let that distract or fool you. They’ll proclaim Messiah’s coming here and there—but they will be wrong. I have some dues to pay first, and when I come, it won’t be a gnostic secret—everybody will know, everywhere. In fact, the world will be unaware, living as they always have done, right up to the moment that the Son of man is revealed. But when that Day arrives, don’t dawdle. Stay close to Me, and remain alert. Watch, and pray!’