Listen up, little ones
Listen for the words LORD and feared.
Reading
Malachi 3:13 – 18—A Book of Remembrance Was Written
Keys for kids
- We should all talk about God.
- But our words must reflect a respect for God.
- God keeps track of those who fear him.
Questions
- What was this first group saying against God?
- What was the second group speaking about God?
- When does God hear and remember what we say?
Notes
(See Saturday for authors. )
In our final section of this chapter, we have a book of remembrance written—two actually. One is the book of Malachi’s prophecy in which he notes God’s people complaining about serving Him. Smith notes that the people were negative in their attitude toward serving God. …They thought that serving God demanded too much and returned too little! We can be that way, too. We can say, as long as I get back from God what I want, I will serve Him. But we must serve the Lord because He is worthy, not because it gains us temporary benefits. To be sure, God often gives us temporary benefits beyond even what we ask for or think we might get. But let us serve Him because He is God.
Secondly, another book is written. The God-fearing people (probably not the same ones who complained about serving him) talked together. Benton suggests a scenario like this, One person said to himself, ‘Now that person there seems to fear God. I’m going to invite him round and we are going to talk together, not about the cost of living, nor the first division championship, nor the weather, but we are going to share together about our mutual fear and regard for God.’
We shouldn’t think that God only listens sometimes—he hears everything and knows our words even before we speak them. But God listening here seems to be connected to this book of remembrance written about those who feared the Lord and talked together about Him.
Swedish Method questions
Praise
Psalm 139a, 119u
Prayer
- Pray that you will have a high regard for God.
- Pray for the hearing of God’s word preached this Lord's Day.
- Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.