The Way

"See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty. Malach 3:1

How many times have we pondered the goal rather the way, the end rather than the means, the target rather than how to get there? God did. He clearly had salvation well planned out since the fall of Adam and Eve and could have saved all his people even before Moses was in the picture - but that is not the way He works.

Our Lord is a God of preparation. A God of Planning. A Lord of well thought pathways. In His last book prior to the Old Testament, He declares, one more time, a messenger who will prepare the way. What about the years and centuries prior to the book of Malachi - wasn't that preparation? Clearly that time was not enough. That time was not enough to teach His people to stop sinning and whole heartedly follow Him. It was not enough time for His people to learn to worship and love Him as the only God. It was not enough time for the vessels He chose to be clean and ready for the refiner's fire on the last day.

Many times God takes away the goal and the targets we want or live for - no matter how noble or logical they may seem because - He is more interested in the way. He is more interested in us becoming pure, Holy and ready for the last day rather than the souls we desire to bring to Him, the good works we want to do for Him or even the talents we want to use for His glory. Not that the latter is not important but the former drives the latter. The way drives the quality of the fruit. The Vine Keeper refines the branches because He desires fruit that lasts.

God chose Abraham to become the Father of all nations but it took Him over a decade to fulfill that promise. The final test was very important. Abraham putting his will on the altar was the goal and only after that would the Lord hasten to do carry out His promise. And hence the meaning of the rest of the verse in Malachi, 'Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come."

Nobody wants to be in 'Under Construction' phase. The wilderness for forty years certainly was not pleasant. But it was critical for the Lord to fulfill the rest of His promises and more importantly, critical for the holiness and sanctifcation of the Israelites.

Many people I have known or not known recently were taken away from this world in the blink of an eye. It taught me how frail we really are. At the end of the way is a Judge who will rule according to the essence and not the outward fruit. 'But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.' (Malach 3:2-3). Only pure metals will endure the purifier's fire. It does not matter whether it was a ring that was used to save many souls or a pleasant pendant that attracted many onlookers. It does not matter whether it was a bracelet that wrapped around many people's thoughts or a chain that brought others to church services. What matters is whether each metal can withstand the test on that day.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the 'Christian' life we believe we are leading - many plans, ideas, many visions, many events - have we taken the way of preparation? Have we been obedient at all costs? Have we been pure and holy behind closed doors, in the secrecy of our hearts? Are we ready every day for a moment that will come like a thief when no one looking? That is the essence.