Malachi 4:1-2 (NRSV)
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Chapter 4See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. Verse 2But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
Devotion
The prophet Malachi imagines a "coming day." As Christians who live post-resurrection we might see his words to be pointing to the death of Jesus as that "day." Jesus' death was a day when he was made to be stubble, burned up, and all alone (neither root nor branch). So as this week looks toward the end of the church year, and thus also looks toward the final day, we can take notice of how often each day we come to an end—the end of a work day, the end of a meal, the end of a meeting (thank God!), the end of a class at school. At the end of every event, we judge that event. We make the event we did not like into stubble; the event we liked we leap like calves from the stall. We seldom realize that at the end of any of these events, others have judged us and could have made us stubble. Yet Jesus raises us up with the healing in the wings of his resurrection.
Prayer
Our Father, all the judgment around us can turn us into stubble. But we ask you to join us to your Son Jesus, so that as he died and was raised, we too, each day, may be raised up from judgment into your mercy. Amen.