Bloom and Grow Forever!

It feels like November today.  Cold, damp and gusty...gruesome by August standards!  I am ashamed to admit I just took a twenty-minute nap.  Something about stormy weather  simply lulls me to sleep.

Life is like that too, isn't it?  There is something about the constant tumult in the world today that tempts me to shut down.  It's easier to 'sleep' than deal with the constant battle...the battering of heart and soul.  We instinctively know life was never meant to be like this...  The banners of justice and righteousness lie torn and tattered.  Dare we hope?

Two weeks ago we had the privilege of celebrating the first birthday of our grand-daughter, Adelyn Hope.  In light of Adelyn's growing passion for music, our daughter Kate aptly chose a  'Sound of Music' theme for the party, specifically the following line from the song, 'Edelweiss'...

The roses have long since withered and most of the decorations have been stashed in the attic. I haven't had the courage to wipe the tiny fingerprints from the glass coffee table.  Evidence of the great blessing of her life, they remind me to pray, "Lord, may she bloom and grow forever!"  I'm not certain when I began to realize these words resound  from the heart of the Father's.  He created us for ETERNITY.  His passion and promise is that we WILL continue to 'bloom and grow,' as long as we abide in Him.

It sounds so simple!  As an introduction to the events of Revelation, Jesus offers some straight talk to the Churches.  He brings words of conviction and encouragement.  The thrust of His message? 

"To him who overcomes I will give..."

These are the words of the Great Commander of Heaven's army...the final instructions for His beloved Bride and the key to claiming victory in the coming Battle.  The victory lies, not in a one-time confession of faith in Christ, but in STAYING AWAKE, and daily choosing self-denial and obedience.  

Two days ago the Lord impressed upon my heart to read/study Malachi (meaning 'my messenger').  It is the last book in the Old Testament.  I was shocked to discover it reads like a stern wake-up call for God's people:

To Summarize:

1.  Esau was 'hated' by God because he forfeited the privilege of his birthright...for a bowl of soup!  He was ruled by his flesh, rather than the Spirit of God.  

                                          *In what ways am I ruled by the flesh???

2.  "If I am a Master, where is my fear?" the Lord asks His people.   They did not respect or revere Him.
                 
          *Do I conduct myself in a way that demonstrates a healthy fear of God?

3.  The Lord 'despised' their offerings.  Why?  Because they were going through the motions, 'giving'...all the while continuing to live in sin.  He said their offerings were 'polluted.'  His name was dishonored because they were NOT giving their best!

                          *How's my heart?  Are my offerings acceptable to God?

4.  The Lord warns:  "If you will not listen I will curse your blessings.  Behold, I will rebuke your offspring and spread dung on your faces."

             *He makes it clear that my children will suffer for my disobedience!

5.  The people can't understand why God doesn't hear their prayers.  The Lord tells them He is weary of their words because they called good evil and evil good!

     *Have I compromised God's holy standard by condoning what He calls evil?

6.  He says, "I the Lord do not change!  Return to me and I will return to you!"

                                               *******

"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.  '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.  then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and one who does not serve Him." 
                                                                  (Malachi 3:16-18)
                     May our names be written in His Book of Remembrance!

"You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand,
take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people
and lose your own stability. 
But GROW
IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity.  Amen."
(2 Peter 1:19, 3:17)

Soli Deo Gloria