The Fearful

Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Malachi 3:16-18

I don't know about you but I haven't heard anything quite as precious as this. Here the Lord says he's the God who remembers. Nor does he behave like some of us who are prone to forget. I've heard some say that the remembering is easy but the forgetting is hard. Well, here the opposite is true. It's not that the Lord has a hard time with his memory. Instead the people had strayed having forgotten the Lord. Perhaps you may know how good it is to speak to one another and so be found in his house. Though, you haven't gone missing, have you really. The Lord it seems who findeth his people is the same one who really truly, always remembers. It's kind of hard to forget too when our names have been as the Scripture says engraved on his hands. Much further than this it's kind of hard to forget something you've carried as well just as would a shepherd stray lambs of the fold. Just think of it now, as one little lamb bleats to another, 'could this be the day the Shepherd returns.' Then another one rings out in return perhaps a bit more full-grown, 'what if he's here already just as a lamb.' For this I'd imagine the Lord heard more than just the words that were spoken, also the oft whispered prayers of the heart. Such a thing so precious as this really was too much to be borne. Just think of being caught by the Lord on his shoulders as some wayward sort only to hear the name whispered aloud as a breath. I would hearken too if I were the Lord. Only thing is I'm not, neither is anyone else of this sort. Look at him now, he's gotten a book. Indeed, see how he writes the names down with a pen. It's enough to make any fear him or yet to serve him quite so half as well as this I suppose. Then again, there's the being found of the Lord. He's coming back for his people, as a man would his much precious stones and his rings. I can almost see him now as he slips them on over his finger, close to his heart. In your culture, maybe it's something borne about on the face. In that day then will our God not be ashamed of his children. How good is it that the same God who listens is also the one who remembers. Just as he heard Hagar's plea out in the desert, so too does he hear the cries of his people. In fact, he'd have to be very dead indeed, made in fashion of some wood or some stone like unto us to neither see or hear anything of the sort. Still, he's far greater than that being so held close to his heart. In fact, that's one of the greatest proofs of our God's living is the witness of that of his children. So too will he regard these as his own though tried and tested and disciplined oft of the Lord as the Levites knew well of the house. When it comes to the judgement though, it's a very good thing this being spared by the Lord. At this point, it's better to serve him for all of our days, such a God as this we never could find or hope by any to begin nor yet to finish. To see the discernment return to the house right about then with an acknowledgement of him is more than just something that happened. So then do these not hardly serve him for nothing. Even though the reward should be our God himself, there he stands ready to receive them back home to himself again before whom these minister. In that day then, the differences between the righteous and the wicked and the servant of all will be much more clearly defined. How good is this God who has come to the defense of his people and so keeps these safe held close to his chest. Perhaps you've heard before of clutching your pearls but these are far more than that as his own precious jewels. Along with these have come a return from the pigs and a slough of despond that spoke to their sin. How good is it then that the Lord has called us his sons rather than I suppose as they that are found in the way these should go.