A Love Letter – Dr. Hona Amer

Scripture:

“A Message. God’s Word to Israel through Malachi: God said, ‘I love you.’ You replied, ‘Really? How have you loved us?’ ‘Look at history’ (this is God’s answer). ‘Look at how differently I’ve treated you, Jacob, from Esau: I loved Jacob and hated Esau. I reduced pretentious Esau to a molehill, turned his whole country into a ghost town…Yes, take a good look. Then you’ll see how faithfully I’ve loved you and you’ll want even more, saying, ‘May God be even greater, beyond the borders of Israel’!” Malachi 1:1-3, 5 (MSG)

Perspective:

A love letter is not exactly what we expect to receive in the mail every day when we check our mailbox. With the permeation of technology, we might get a love “e-mail” but rarely an actual letter. Yet, depending on your age, you, your parents, or grandparents probably wrote love letters to your boyfriend or girlfriend. If distance separated them while they were dating, a love letter bridged the gap.

Malachi went to the Israelites to proclaim God’s message of truth. In the book of Malachi, he addressed different issues that wake the Israelites up from religious routine. Yet, God’s message started off with His love for them. Jacob represented the people of Israel. God had continually given the Israelites opportunity to have relationship with God. Malachi was sending out God’s message of hope and love to the people. And, God is still sending that message out to you. God bridged the gap by writing you a love letter. The Bible is full of pages of Him wooing you with His love. He is asking you to look at history if you are questioning His love. Many times, we doubt and question God’s love, because we don’t see Him helping us right now, even when He is working behind the scenes. God is challenging you to look at His story in your life. Has God provided for you when you needed it? Has God been trustworthy, faithful, and constant? What does history tell you about God’s love for you? Let the search for love take you all the way back to the cross, where Jesus showed the purist form of love. He gave it all. God is waking you up from the religious routine and obligation to His never ending love. So, if you were wondering if anyone loved or cared about you, you don’t have to look any further.