What Do You Say?

Read Malachi 2
 
Malachi 2:17a You have wearied the LORD with your words. “How have we wearied him?” you ask.
 
THE last half of this verse is missing. Before you go back to your Bible to read it, please stop and consider how you would answer the question.
   In what way might you have wearied the LORD with your words? Have you vainly spoken his name? “Oh, my _____!” is a common, vain phrase today. Have you prayed for forgiveness with empty words, knowing your desire is to sin in the same way again? Have you promised God you would be more faithful to him but have made no effort to change your habits or lifestyle? Have you promised someone you’d care for them but left them waiting? Perhaps a shut-in or aged parent awaits your visit, but you call and say, “I’m too busy right now.” Perhaps you sing, “I love you, Lord.” and you go to places you shouldn’t or refrain from family obligations. You might judge another for a sin you often commit.
   The Jews returned from exile and godly leaders such as Ezra, Nehemiah, Malachi and many others urged and commanded them to re-establish God’s law in their hearts, so they would know and live in the fullness of his words. They needed to stop justifying their sins and begin to repent and live in God’s truth.
   This answer to God was to justify themselves, denying their sins: “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them.” or “Where is the God of justice?”  The Jews wanted to believe everything was right in God’s sight. They did not believe God would judge their sins.
   This was Adam and Eve’s problem that has become humanity’s problem. The problem confronts us daily as we decide what to say and do, how to live. Do we trust and believe God’s words to our hearts? Or are we inclined to excuse our disobedience?
   Sin’s attacks will not change. We then, must change in God’s power to be as God commands us to be.
 
Beware of Unbelief: 2 Peter 3:3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this “coming” he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”