God Hears Us
And the LORD listened and heard them…Malachi 3:16
God hears us. He hears our prayers. He hears our conversations. He hears all of us, even the unrighteous. But, of those who fear Him, God records their words in a “book of remembrance.” Verse 16. Could the book of remembrance be God’s memory.? Malachi records the words of the wicked, “it is useless to serve God. What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance?” Verse 14. The words of the righteous are not recorded by Malachi, chapter 3. But they are remembered by the LORD.
Because of their faithfulness, God makes them a promise, Verse 17: They shall be Mine, says the LORD of hosts, on the day that I make them My jewels. I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. But there is more: Verse 18: Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.
Jesus shall judge all the nations. When He judges, He will spare those who are His, as a man spares his own son. On that day, He will remember who served Him and who did not. Meanwhile, He has promised to give them discernment: the wisdom to know the difference between the righteous and the wicked. Many of you are beginning to use this precious gift. You are beginning to know who serves God and who does not.
The Hebrew word to discern, literally means ‘to see.’ But you knew this. Discern means the same thing in English: to perceive, to recognize, to distinguish by sight or by our other senses, Oxford Dictionary. This is a useful gift. But discernment is more than a gift. It is the result of spiritual maturity: Hebrews 5:14: But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. What Eve wanted in the garden is now granted by “reason of exercise.” Discernment comes through the habit of Bible study; our source of ‘solid food.’
God hears our prayers. We, who are praying for discernment, shall be heard. Those who follow-up their prayers with the solid food of Scripture shall be rewarded with discernment. The ability to detect truth is essential in these chaotic days. Not just with politicians, but with our doctors. For this reason, let our conversations be honorable to the Lord. Let our prayers be earnest. Let our study of Scripture be sincere. For the Lord our God is listening!
