Day 38: The Book Don't End With Malachi.

[If you want to know how and why this devotional came into existence feel free to read this]

What you will need:

• A Bible
• This Devotional
• Some Coloring Utensils
• And a print out of this awesome coloring sheet designed by Owen Richard.

(Here is the week 1, week 2,  week 3,  week 4 and week 5 sheets if you want them)

Theme:  Longing

Passage for April 7th: Malachi 4:1-5

Bars from “How Great”

The book don't end with Malachi

A Thought:

This winter my wife and I had our 4th child, and we are fairly sure that he is our last. This made deciding on his name difficult. We wanted to name him something that marked the end of this season of our life but also pointed into a new one. We didn’t know what the next stage of our life would look like, but we knew that it would full of wonder and adventure. We knew God’s spirit would lead us and it would be filled with His presence. The name we decided encapsulated that was Malachi. 

Malachi is the last book in the Hebrew bible. It points to a new future where God is going to rule and reign. The ones that oppress others for their own gain and oppose the Creator will be put in their place. But those who remain faithful will be healed, protected and given a new life full of an exuberant joy. They were waiting and longing for someone to come and usher in this reality. A savior who would bring a Kingdom that would set the world right again. 

For Christians, all we need to do is turn the page in our bible and we will see that this reality was coming in Jesus. For the Hebrews, however, the flip of that page represents 400 years of waiting. Think about that. The time America has been a country multiplied by two. That is how long God’s people were longing for God to come and make things right. 

Malachi was a reminder and a promise for them, showing them what when the Lord did come they knew what he would be doing. Eugene Peterson paraphrases this promise they were waiting on this way:

The sun of righteousness will dawn on those who honor my name, healing radiating from its wings. You will be bursting with energy, like colts frisky and frolicking.

We look to our God. Come quickly and do not delay. 

Here is the question that I am contemplating today: How am I preparing for what God is going to do in my life? What am I longing for the Lord to accomplish in the world? What does it look like to wait on the Old?

Mediation: Isaiah 52:7-8

Today is the last day in this theme.  We are going to take a break tomorrow because Sunday marks the start of Holy Week with Palm Sunday. So as you prepare for Jesus last week read the meditation passage slowly and deliberately today asking God to prepare you heart for Holy Week. Lock in on a phrase or a word that seems to be sticking out to you. As you color today, ask God why is this phrase sticking out to you. Listen to what he is saying in response. When you are done ask the Lord what he was showing you this week and take a moment or two to write it down. Feel free to share it on line with the #mycoloringbookforhisgreatness so we can follow along.