Today, we see Malachi echo themes in Ezra and Nehemiah. The people need to be very careful where their allegiances lie. They are cautioned to avoid relationships that pull them away from God. That is what happened to the people … Continue reading →

Today we see the Lord remind the priests that they have lost their reverence of Him. As much as we need to know the gentleness and kindness of God, we need to understand the fact that He is “other” than … Continue reading →

Today, the Lord condemns the priests for how they lead worship. They have despised the Lord’s table by bringing sacrifices that are not worthy of the Lord. As you’ve heard it said before, I’m sure the Lord deserves our best. … Continue reading →

Jacob I loved, Esau I hated. These words from Romans are originally found in Malachi. These are some of the hardest-to-understand words in all of the Bible. What does “hate” mean here? What does this say about who God is? … Continue reading →

C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next… It is since Christians have largely ceased to … Continue reading →

Today, we see a word about idolatry in Zechariah. The people were worshiping idols because they did not trust in God to take care of them. They worshiped the idols as a “backup” plan against the dangers of a failed … Continue reading →

In our reading today, we see a verse that inspired one of my favorite Christian hymns, “There is a Fountain Filled with Blood.” I know these images of “blood” are sometimes difficult for us to hear in our modern context, … Continue reading →

Sometimes, God calls us to things that do not make sense to us. These are the hard times, but these are also the times when our faith really comes alive and really grows. In Zechariah, he is called to shepherd … Continue reading →

Today, we see another well-known passage: “The sheep wander for need of a shepherd.” We see that the shepherds are not leading the sheep well at that moment. They are living for their own desires, not for the needs of … Continue reading →

Today, we read the prophecy that we see fulfilled on Palm Sunday. Jesus, humble, riding a donkey. But we often misread this. We see this as only Jesus being humble, which He was. This wasn’t just Jesus being humble; this … Continue reading →