The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Malachi 4:1-2,
"'Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,' says the Lord Almighty. 'Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.'"
Two outcomes here for each and every person who has ever lived. Only two. No third. We either face a burning furnace or a bright future, "the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays". For those who face that bright future, we "will go out and frolic like well-fed calves."
I say, "we". I am among that number and I desperately hope you are among that number as well. How do I know I am among that number? How is it I know I am not one of those facing that burning furnace? Am I arrogant, full of conceit? Am I better than anyone else? Not at all!
Here is how I know I am among the number with that bright future for all eternity - Jesus said, "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man." John 5:24-27.
"'Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,' says the Lord Almighty. 'Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.'"
Two outcomes here for each and every person who has ever lived. Only two. No third. We either face a burning furnace or a bright future, "the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays". For those who face that bright future, we "will go out and frolic like well-fed calves."
I say, "we". I am among that number and I desperately hope you are among that number as well. How do I know I am among that number? How is it I know I am not one of those facing that burning furnace? Am I arrogant, full of conceit? Am I better than anyone else? Not at all!
Here is how I know I am among the number with that bright future for all eternity - Jesus said, "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man." John 5:24-27.
I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ. I have heard his word and I have believed in him. I have eternal life right now as I sit writing this. And, you can have eternal life right now as well - as you read this! You have just read his word and now have the opportunity to embrace God in faith.
Why face an eternity in a burning furnace, when we can be free to "frolic"?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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