Speaking though the prophet Malachi, the Lord tells us that He both observes and cares about our level of reverence towards Him, and the ways we reflect our reverential “fear” of God to others, through our obedience, attitude, and actions.
16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. Malachi 3:16 (ESV)
We learn from Malachi that it is so important to the Lord that we “fear” Him, that He even keeps a record of it in a book of remembrance. God is NOT referring here to the type of anxious fear we have in a dangerous or threatening situation. Rather, godly fear is a deep awe and respect for who He is, and the majesty and power that He has. It remembers all the wonderful things that He has done for us, and has promised to do. It is esteem for His pure goodness and holiness, the wonder of His glorious name, and the overwhelming love we can tap into through faith in Him.
We see from the text that God pays attention to our conversations, listening for the holy fruit of divine faith to be reflected in it. When we share His loving attributes in our words and and listen to bring comfort, encouragement, and exhortation to another, He is well pleased. So pleased, in fact, that He considers these types of faithful followers to be among His most-treasured possessions.
17 “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Malachi 3:17 (ESV)
The King James version of this verse has a powerful way of describing God’s people of faith: His jewels.
17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Malachi 3:17 (KJV)
We are saved by God’s grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. He loves us unconditionally. But Jesus also said that we will be known by the fruit we bear. Life is a journey of progress, not perfection, and there will be many slips and falls along our way. But with God’s help, when we do fail, we quickly turn to Him for forgiveness, get right back up, and follow Him, allowing the Holy Spirit to produce good works in our lives. This is the righteous fruit that God seeks. It blesses others as well as ourselves, and we all reap benefits that will last into eternity.
The Lord loves everyone, but Malachi goes on to tell us that there will be a distinction.
18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. Malachi 3:18 (ESV)
Like many who might read this, I am a person of faith. One of my biggest challenges in day-to-day living is this: who am I seeking to please with my actions, myself or God? This seems to be a fundamental issue for all believers. There are many decisions to be made about potential actions to take throughout the day.
How do I choose which activities to pursue? Do I think I know God’s will for me in this moment? If so, am I doing it? How am I treating the people around me? How about that someone who is mistreating or disrespecting me?
Godly fear of the Lord can help direct my paths. As Proverbs 1 says, it is the beginning of wisdom. If I truly “fear” God with a proper appreciation for who He is, pleasing Him will be always be at the top of my top priority list. Most of the time, when we choose to please Him, we will ultimately end up experiencing a peace, contentment, and joy in life, far exceeding any satisfaction we could achieve with self-directed pursuits.
And believers who choose to put God first become among of His most treasured possessions, His jewels.
Reflection
How can I focus more on pleasing God and less on pleasing myself today? The irony is that we get more out of it than He does when we do this.
Father God, we want to bring pleasure to You, the One who watches over and protects us every moment of the day and night. Help us to bear divine fruit for Your kingdom through the power of the Holy Spirit. Help us to revere Your name and to reflect Your goodness as we go about our day. Forgive us for all the times we fall short, and help us to get back up and into Your light and service when we do. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Have a blessed and beautiful day in the Lord today.
Daily Meditations from the Genealogy of Jesus 