MUCH LOVE AND LITTLE LOVE
Malachi 1:1-14
“I have loved you,” says the Lord. “But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’”
It is amazing that God even answers the question! As he says, and we know, “For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.” Any other people would have incurred God’s wrath. But Israel has a covenant relationship with God, just as we Christians have a covenant relationship with God. God’s patience with us underlines his love towards us.
Perhaps even more amazing is that Israel has the impertinence to ask such a question. I doubt if we would dare. But more likely the prophet was voicing out an unspoken question—a question expressed in the actions of the Jews. And here we need to think deeply about ourselves.
In Luke 7, Jesus explained to Simon the Pharisee, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
How you respond reflects what you think you have received. There is a hint, however, in Jesus’ words, “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven” that there is a relationship between our response and our receptivity—our inability to open our hearts to God also results in our inability to receive God’s blessings. Malachi adds a further element to this: How you respond reflects what you think of God, but consider, how should God respond to you then?
Perhaps this is an opportune time for you to examine how you have been responding to God; the things you have been doing, the attitude you have towards matters related to God, and the care (or lack of) you take in honouring him in your life.
Do you have a case against God? Has he loved you? God is ready to answer. Does God have a case against you? Do you have an answer?