December 15 Devotion

Lectionary Reading: Malachi 3:16 -- 4:6

Stay Warm

At the end of the Civil War novel Gone With the Wind, Rhett Butler tells Scarlet O'Hara that he's had enough of her shenanigans and walks into the night. I, like many readers, was furious with Scarlett. She'd been given one chance after another to make things right with Rhett, and now she was alone. My heart was broken, and all I could do was hope that Scarlett would change her ways and win Rhett back. Margaret Mitchell had given me that flicker of hope in Scarlett's last line, "Tomorrow is another day."

Reading "Malachi," the last book of the Old Testament of the Bible, was like that. In the preceding books, we read about the creation of the earth, the love God had for mankind, and the many times mankind tested that love. "Malachi" should have been a celebration of love between God and His people, but it wasn't. The people felt forgotten, became lost, and were told the consequences if they did not change their wicked ways. In Malachi's words I sensed anger, darkness and depression -- until I reached this line: But for you who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. Just as Mitchell gave her readers hope that Scarlett would change and find happiness, God, through Malachi, gave mankind a flicker of hope for the future.

But what form would that hope take? It has been said that English teachers will find symbolism where there is none, but I think Malachi's meaning was pretty obvious. The sun of righteousness was the Son of God, and the healing in its wings was the healing warmth that Jesus brought to the world.

During the holidays, we gravitate toward warmth due to the cold weather or tradition. We invite people in for hot chocolate or spiced cider, we sing carols that warm our hearts, and we decorate with candles and lights that cast a warm glow. But keeping the real warmth, a light and heat that can sustain us through our darkest times, takes work. Long before Rhett left, Scarlett sensed she was letting love die. Long before God gave his final warning, His followers knew they had disappointed Him. It takes work to sustain a fire and dedication to sustain a church's mission. Like the hymn says, "They'll know we are Christians by our love, " -- our warmth -- our works.

May the sun of righteousness and the Son of God warm our hearts and heal our pain. Pass it on.

Becky Warren