It’s a “will worship” morning (Colossians 2:23). Psalm 31:1-3a.
My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Malachi. The Mind of the Spirit stirred up the spirit of my mind in Malachi 2:17: (Less than 50 years after the conclusion of Nehemiah)
Malachi 2:17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
Cynicism compromises and even cancels faith. It “wearies” God! It frustrates grace.
The Jews are not unique in this problem. Malachi could be written to the Gentile Christians today. Many despair of justice. Many are jaded by the rule of the oppressor and the apparent prosperity of the wicked. Only a few would be so honest as these cynics of Judah, and say, “Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them,” but many of us will ask, “Where is the God of judgment?”
Faith would ascribe the failure of justice in America to the refusal to use the sword God gave us to execute wrath against the evil doer (Romans 13:1-6). But cynicism, even if it does not provoke a believer to blame God, will often provoke them to give up on man. We don’t expect justice to come upon the rich and powerful because unfaithful men have long held back the sword of judgment from the evil doer. Cynicism is defeatist; whether it is directed at God or at man, it is a self-fulfilling prophecy and a surrender to unbelief. Doing so declares surrender to evil! We are supposed to “stand against the wiles of the devil” and “wrestle against” the principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:10-12). We are not to throw up our hands in defeat and allow the enemy to pin us till God counts us out!
As I walked along the still waters with my LORD, I thought how fitting the message of Malachi is to the Churches today. As we approach the conclusion of the Christian era, I wonder if I detect a slightly cynical tone in Jesus’ words: “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Do our own low expectations encourage His? He does not do many mighty works when surrounded by unbelief (Matthew 13:58). It makes Him weary.
He gets “weary”? The Bible says we can weary Him. The word translated weary in Malachi 2:17 is used to speak of being exhausted, to become tired, or faint. It’s impossible to imagine that we could “weary” God physically! God is a spirit (John 4:24). We grieve His Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). We grieve Him with our cynicism.
In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, I thought about the fact that despite the cynical insults of His people, He concluded the book of Malachi with glorious promises of His coming judgment upon the wicked and deliverance of His own (Malachi 3-4). Immediately following His rebuke against the cynicism of His people, He proclaimed: ‘Behold, I will send my messenger … and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple” (Malachi 3:1). He said, “Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not” (Malachi 3:18).
The Spirit reminded me that the “messenger” He sent declared: “Behold the Lamb of God” (John 1:29, 36). And I thought about what He endured to include me in His fold, to make me righteous, to number me among those that “serveth God.”
The Cross cancels cynicism (Romans 8:32, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”) Gladly, therefore, will I heed His call: “If any many will come after me, let him deny himsef, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luk 9:23).
At the table, we further discussed the danger of succumbing to a spirit of cynicism. The Spirit sweetly reminded me that the promise I appeal to multiple times in a day rests upon the truth that “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Where is there any room for a cynical spirit in the heart where the Spirit of Christ resides?
He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy followed us into the harvest, rejoicing!
Praying for revival! 🙏
Going live asap:
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