Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8 NKJV.

You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11 ESV.

We come to the final chapter of the Old Testament, Malachi 4. Before we do, the final 3 verses of the last chapter: Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name. “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be My treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” Malachi 3:16-18. Have you ever sat with people who love Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, and with them shared experiences that brought you to Him? Heartfelt conversations! They help us see and appreciate just how gently God works with us, so unlike the experiences we lived through that were fraught with confusion and pain. But as difficult as they were in the living of them, they showed us our need; and those experiences are shared in all of our human family. And now our chapter…“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or branch will be left to them. But for you who revere My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty. “Remember the law of My servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” v. 1-6.

And then after Malachi died, there were no more words of the prophets of God. It would be 400 long years before Creator God would intervene in the most dramatic and unexpected way, unless you we were willing to turn to Him in trust, believing what the prophets foretold, but how could they truly expect the way God would act? We are so blessed to be living now. We get to turn the page and carry right on into the New Testament. Even living in these times, Jesus, the Son, warned would be when the love of many would grow cold, even when it’s becoming difficult to believe anything you read because lies have never been so rampant and so widely spread, even then…we have hope because our hope is not in this world. Our hope can be in Creator God as experiences we cannot understand drive us to the One who brings healing and gladness to our hearts and minds. We have Scripture, the same words of truth that have helped people in every age. And we have the Holy Spirit to guide our understanding as we trust Him to show us what is true, noble, pure, lovely, good, of virtue and praiseworthy. He shows us the path of life and in His presence there is fullness of joy. We can’t do this alone. We were never meant to do this alone. Trust Creator God for every outcome for all of His children because we are dearly loved. Love with hope in God. For His love brings gladness and healing you will find nowhere else. Let Him come into your heart. Give Him your trust and He will give you Himself.