以色列民宣称，那位独一的真神是他们的父亲和主人，但是他们当中很多人只是说说而已，他们的行为却清楚地显明他们缺乏诚意。他们问神是否爱他们，但事实上他们大多数是假献殷勤；如果他们真的爱神，他们就应该敬畏和尊重祂。
神是一位如此慈爱的父亲，我们很难想像，世上哪有谁能够向祂献上祂配得的敬畏；神是一位如此仁厚和善良的主人，我们很难想像，世上哪有谁能够以祂配得的尊重来回报祂。然而，即使我们多么的亏欠，神断不会中止祂对我们的爱，就如罗马书 5:8所说：“惟有基督在我们还作罪人的时候为我们死，神的爱就在此向我们显明了。”
纵使以色列民正在犯罪背叛神，神仍然差遣先知玛拉基，尝试让他们明白祂是多么爱他们的，并催促他们回转。
神没有放弃以色列民，同样，祂也没有放弃我们。不论我们如何轻蔑或藐视祂，神仍然爱我们并尽力挽回我们。世上的假神要求人去寻找他们，这位慈爱的真神却来寻找我们。
今天，神在你生命中是否居首位？你有没有献上你自己和你一切所有来爱祂？你有没有告诉祂你爱祂，并以行动来表明呢？
亲爱的耶稣，祢如此爱我们，甚至为我们牺牲，我们感谢祢，没有人比祢更珍惜我们的了。求祢帮助我们知道如何去爱祢。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
玛拉基书 1:6
6“藐视我名的祭司啊，万军之耶和华对你们说：儿子尊敬父亲，仆人敬畏主人；我既为父亲，尊敬我的在哪里呢？我既为主人，敬畏我的在哪里呢？你们却说：‘我们在何事上藐视你的名呢？’"'If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?' says the LORD Almighty." — Malachi 1:6
The Israelites claimed that the one true God was their Father and Master. But many of the people weren't sincere about that, and their actions showed it. They had asked God if he loved them, but the truth was that they mostly offered lip service. If they truly loved God, they would show him due honor and respect.
God is such a loving Father that it's hard to imagine a human being ever showing him the honor he deserves. God is such a gracious and kind master that it's hard to imagine a human able to repay him the respect that is due him. And yet God does not give up his love for us. Romans 5:8 says, "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Even though Israel was sinning against God, he sent Malachi to try and convince them of his love and to urge them to return to him.
God didn't give up on Israel, and he doesn't give up on us either. No matter the disrespect and dishonor we have shown, God still loves us and strives to win us back. The false gods of the world require people to pursue them, but the true God of love pursues us.
Is God first in your life? Do you love him with everything you have and are? Do you tell and show him that you love him?
Dear Jesus, thank you for loving us so much that you even died for us. No one else wants us as much as you do. Help me to love you. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
