The Faithful Remnant

Sunday, June 23, 2013 (6:19 a.m.)

Most Dear and Blessed Father God,

I love You. I spent time with family yesterday. We looked at pictures over fifty years old. We laughed. There were some tears. And not one mention of You being our God and Father. I just noticed that. In all the remembrances, the 'we were so poor' stories, none of them were prefaced nor backed with glory given to You.

I apologize. How did that happen? I'm reading in Your Word right now and I'm wondering how the minutes of that meeting will be forever remembered by You. I pray it will be with the underlying love that ensconced itself in the company and memory of the cousins who were present. Thank You Father for the aunt who cares enough to work at bringing us together on a yearly basis.

Now back to Your Word... I searched 'remembrance' and found The Faithful Remnant prefacing Malachi 3:16. Father, we truly are the remnant [small remaining quantity of something] of this particular branch of family. How I ask You to work in each of us, bringing us together as YOUR family of Believers.

In the Illustrated Bible Handbook, I read “He (Malachi) ministers to a people who have lost their sense of excitement and lost touch with God.” As I read more of the Background, Structure and Value of this book, again I ask You Dearest Father, continue Your work in each of us.

The Life Recovery Bible says the purpose of this book is “to confront the people about getting back on track after they relapsed into old patterns of sin.” It lists the Recovery Themes as: “God Always Loves Us”, “Forgiveness Is Foundational for Recovery”, “God Is Always with Us”.

Father, as much fun as it is to get together, reminisce and even learn some family history we had previously no knowledge of, how much better would our time be spent acknowledging Your work in our lives. Again, I say to You, forgive me Father I didn't notice Your absence in our gathering. What a truly ghastly realization!

As we gear up for our time together next year, how I ask that when all is said and done we will so much more closely resemble Malachi 3:16. “Then those who feared and loved the Lord spoke often of Him to each other. And He had a Book of Remembrance drawn up in which He recorded the names of those who feared and loved to think about Him.” THAT's the book I want to be remembered in!

Work in each of us this day, this coming year, reminding us always of Your love, provision, forgiveness and presence. I love You Father. Make me a much better communicator and representative of Your goodness and grace. Thank You not only for the work You have done in us, but also that which You will be doing. Embolden me to share You much more readily with others. Even, or is that especially, with those with whom I am related.

I love You Father. Thank You. Amen.

(510 words ~ 7:34 a.m.)