Wednesday 7 March 2007

Where is my honour?

“A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?” - Malachi 1v6

Malachi is probably, in my mind, the most heart-breaking book in the Bible. In retrospect we know that it would be God’s last words to His people for four hundred years. In it we see God’s heart as He points out to the nation how they have continued to disobey and dishonour Him with their words and actions.

In this section God points out that it is natural foe a son to honour his father and a servant to respect his master. Yet God points out that though He is both Father and Master His people are not showing Him the honour and respect which He is due.

“If I am your Father, why aren’t you honouring Me? If I am your Master why don’t you respect Me?” You can almost hear His heart breaking as He knows that they are not going to respond.

What about our own lives? We claim that God is our Father and our Master. Do we show Him the honour and respect that He is due, or do we just keep Him around to help us in a jam?

Does God see us the same way He saw Israel in this passage?

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