Advent Day 13

In this Advent reflection on Malachi 4:1-6, we encounter a beautiful paradox: the day of judgment and the promise of healing exist side by side. While the passage opens with imagery of a burning furnace and divine judgment, it quickly pivots to hope — 'for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in his wings.' This isn't about a God who merely judges; it's about a God whose righteousness demands justice but whose character overflows with healing and restoration. The image of calves leaping with joy when led to pasture becomes our story, too.

Like those young calves who've tasted freedom after confinement, we who have been set free from sin and death can't help but leap with unbridled joy. We've experienced his healing — physical, emotional, and spiritual — and that transforms how we live each day. The passage also connects us to John the Baptist, the fulfillment of the Elijah prophecy made 400 years earlier, reminding us that God's promises are certain even when centuries pass. Our calling is clear: like the herald angels and like John the Baptist, we're invited to proclaim this freedom, to share our testimony of radical transformation, and to invite others to follow Christ with us.

🎧 For additional encouragement, listen to Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe6X7PyCKDY&list=PLSVdWmL3WBddbSuPfppFGa_c2KyQwXxdx&index=13