Malachi 3:13-18: a reflection

13“Your words have been harsh against me,” says the LORD. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against you?’ 14You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God,’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of Armies? 15Now we call the proud happy; yes, those who work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt God, and escape.’ 16Then those who feared the LORD spoke one with another; and the LORD listened and heard, and a book of memory was written before him for those who feared the LORD and who honored his name. 17They shall be mine,” says the LORD of Armies, “my own possession in the day that I make. I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him. 18Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who doesn’t serve him.

God confronts a cynical thought that had crept into his people's hearts. You have said, It is vain to serve God; what profit is it that we have kept his charge? They had begun to think serving God was pointless, that the wicked prospered while the faithful gained nothing. But then a different group appears: those who feared the LORD spoke with one another; and the LORD listened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him for those who feared the LORD. Against the cynical thought that serving God is vain, God shows that he notices and remembers those who fear him.

Notice the contrast, and God's response: against the thought that serving him is vain, God remembers those who fear him. Some had grown cynical, thinking their service of God brought no reward, that it was vain. But God heard the faithful who feared him, and wrote a book of remembrance before him for them; they would be his own, his treasured possession, spared in the day of judgment. Their service was not vain; God noticed it, remembered it, treasured those who feared him. The cynical thought was wrong: God does remember and reward those who serve and fear him.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can grow cynical, thinking our service of God brings no reward. We can look at the prospering of the wicked and the trials of the faithful, and conclude that serving God is vain, profitless, unnoticed; but God wrote a book of remembrance for those who feared him, and called them his own. Your service of God is not vain or unnoticed; God remembers those who fear him, and treasures them as his own. Do not give in to the cynical thought that serving God is vain, that your faithfulness goes unnoticed and unrewarded; God notices and remembers those who fear him, writing their names in his book of remembrance and claiming them as his own. Serve God faithfully, trusting that he remembers and treasures those who fear him, rather than yielding to the cynicism that says it is vain to serve him; for God does remember, and those who fear him are his own treasured possession.

Lord, you confront a cynical thought that had crept into your people's hearts. You have said, it is vain to serve God; what profit is it that we have kept his charge? They had begun to think serving you was pointless, that the wicked prospered while the faithful gained nothing. But then a different group appears: those who feared the LORD spoke with one another; and the LORD listened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him for those who feared the LORD. Against the cynical thought that serving you is vain, you show that you notice and remember those who fear you. Show me the contrast, and your response: against the thought that serving you is vain, you remember those who fear you. Some had grown cynical, thinking their service brought no reward. But you heard the faithful, and wrote a book of remembrance for them; they would be your own, your treasured possession. Their service was not vain; you noticed it, remembered it. Take that to my heart, for I too can grow cynical, thinking my service of you brings no reward. I can look at the prospering of the wicked and the trials of the faithful, and conclude that serving you is vain, unnoticed; but you wrote a book of remembrance for those who feared you. My service of you is not vain or unnoticed; you remember those who fear you, and treasure them as your own. Keep me from giving in to the cynical thought that serving you is vain; you notice and remember those who fear you, Lord. Help me serve you faithfully, trusting that you remember and treasure those who fear you.