Malachi 3:1-4

“But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap…” vs. 2 

True prophets, and Malachi was certainly one of them, have always had the sense that this good world is broken, and that something needed to happen to restore its goodness. For Malachi that something was nothing less than the coming of the Lord into the world. He believed that there would be a Messenger sent to prepare the way for that coming and that people would do well to pay attention. We’re familiar with that sort of prophetic talk. In some congregations such warnings are a regular part of nearly every sermon. One day soon the Lord is coming, and when the Lord comes there’s going to be a house-cleaning. Now that’s obviously a message that comes from scripture, but it’s often presented in a way that strikes fear in our hearts, rather than hope. For most ears it’s a word of law and condemnation, and we picture the Lord riding into town on a horse, guns blazing, and doing away with evil-doers. But what if the coming of the Lord is a grace moment, a time in which our sins are washed away and we are given a deep cleansing? That’s much more in line with the Jesus of the gospels and his message of restoration. And that’s a word of grace we can rally around through the whole of Advent.

Thought for the Day: How would I describe my cleansing?