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"I jump into a sand pit for a living"

Jonathan Edwards, World record triple-jumper

It's not my fault - or is it?

You have worn out the LORD with your words. Mal 3:17

Malachi's words "You have worn out the LORD with your words" seem very surprising. They need to be understood correctly. There is nothing wrong with having doubts and questions and expressing them honesty. The Psalmist, Job and Jeremiah did so and were not condemned. As the passage shows us, the problem here was not the question but the faithless cynicism.

The real problem was not with God but with the people. The questions they needed to address was not: does God approve of evildoers but were the priests following the law (3:3) and did the people fear the Lord (3:5). The Lord's answer to their question, that he would come (3:1) would cause them more problems that it would solve!

I'm now on my way to judge you. And I will quickly condemn all who practice witchcraft or cheat in marriage or tell lies in court or rob workers of their pay or mistreat widows and orphans or steal the property of foreigners or refuse to respect me. Malachi 3:5

This catalogue of sins is comprehensive. Apart from sorcery all are social sins. Some would not be crimes on the statute book but they do not escape the God of justice. Their sins are summed up in one phrase "do not fear me". The reason for their immoral behaviour and their focus on the wrong question was that they did not fear God or respect his standards.

There is nothing wrong in dialoguing with God about your feelings and concerns. Just be open to God's response, that the problem is more your fault than his.

Stuart Weir



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