Dangerous Questions!

Our son loves driving long distances.  From the time the grandchildren are born, they are used to long drives by car.  Whenever we visited the US, we used to accompany them on their travel and see various places.  When the children were young, they used to ask a question repeatedly.  That question was, 'Are we there yet?'  Every half-hour or so, they will ask the same question, and finally, my son would say, 'I will tell you when we get there.  Look outside and enjoy the ride!'  Being strapped to a car seat has its challenges!  The Jewish people during the time of Prophet Malachi had questions to God.  They were not silly and annoying questions but dangerous questions!

The people at this time were going through outward religious acts, but their hearts were far from God.  That's why God sent the Prophet Malachi to rouse the people from their spiritual apathy, hoping they would return sincerely to the Lord.  When Malachi pointed out their sin, they asked some questions showing their hearts' hardness.  They asked, "In what way have You loved us?' (Mal 1:2).  They doubted God's love for them.  They asked, "In what way have we despised Your Name and defiled You?"(Mal 1:6,7).  They brought blemished and unfit animals for sacrifice but were too calculative to realize their mistake.  They said, "In what way have we robbed You?" (Mal 3:8).  They did not bring their tithes to the Lord.  They said, "What have we spoken against You?"(Mal 3:13).  They said it is useless to serve God! These questions revealed the condition of their hearts.  They showed their blindness to sin and their arrogant effort to excuse wrongdoing.  Today we also ask the same questions when we do not give tithes or give our best to the Lord.  We ask the same questions when we serve God only for recognition!  We ask God the same questions when we disregard the marriage vows.  These questions reveal our hardened hearts, and it is a dangerous place to be!

My friend, have you ever wondered how David became the man after God's own heart?  When Nathan confronted David on his sin with Bathsheba, David was quick to repent and return to the Lord!  That is the key to becoming a person after God's own heart.  We are doomed if we find excuses for our sin or justify the sin in our life.  Let us not harden our hearts today but be sensitive to God's call to repentance!

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