Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 The Book of Remembrance

Malachi 3: 6 - 18
 

“A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.”

In the National Mall in Washington D.C., there is a monument called the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This monument attracts more than five million people each year. The most prominent feature of the memorial is a massive wall that lists the names of the more than 58,000 servicemen and women who lost their lives during the Vietnam War. The idea of this “remembrance” wall is to honor and never forget the sacrifices of the men and women who fought for and died for our country.
This record of remembrance is not unique to Washington D.C. The book of Malachi speaks about a record of remembrance – “The Scroll of Remembrance.” And the book of Revelation talks about a record of remembrance in heaven in the presence of God – “The Book of Life.”
During Malachi’s time, life was hard in Israel and disappointments were many. The people were discouraged, down and out. Many of them started to wonder: “Where is God?” Does He still love us? If they were going to struggle like this what was the point of serving Him? This is not different from what many of us might be asking today. Does God see my pain? Does God care? Why should I be faithful to His teachings?
We find the answer in God’s Word. Through Malachi, God promises to preserve all those who fear Him. 
In Malachi we see that God not only hears the complainers, but also notices the righteous. “And the LORD listened and heard them; so, a book of remembrance was written before him” (Malachi 3:16). God listens, and God hears those who fear him! And God says that the names of the righteous will never be erased. Their faithfulness will not go un-blessed.
This is not different from how John speaks in Revelation, where we once again reference to God’s book. In Revelation, John describes the scene of the last day: “Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it…” (Revelation 20:11). This is the final judgment when Christ will judge all people. “I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God...And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books” (Revelation 20:12).
If we fear the Lord and walk in His ways, if we believe that Christ is our Savior, we can have great confidence that we will make it into the Book of Life. If we persevere in faith, then we won’t ever be forgotten, our names will be written in God’s book of remembrance. 

 
Prayer

Lord Jesus, help to grow in love and faith in you.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“He who overcomes…I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and His angels.” Revelation 3:5

 

Koruthu Mathew
The Long Island Mar Thoma Church, New York

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