God’s love for His people is not based on their merit, performance, or circumstances, but is rooted in His own faithful character and covenant promises. Even when life does not meet our expectations or when we feel disillusioned, God’s love remains steadfast and irrevocable. He initiates this love, sustains it, and never withdraws it, regardless of our failures or doubts. This unchanging love is the foundation for our relationship with Him, inviting us to trust Him even when our circumstances shift or disappoint. [59:23]
Deuteronomy 7:7-8 (ESV)
It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Reflection: In what area of your life do you most struggle to believe that God’s love for you is unchanging? How might you remind yourself today that His love is not dependent on your circumstances or performance?
God’s choice to love and redeem is not based on human worthiness, status, or ability, but on His sovereign will and grace. Just as He chose Jacob over Esau, not because of their deeds but because of His purpose, so too He chooses and adopts us in Christ, despite our flaws and failures. This electing love is a source of deep assurance, reminding us that our place in God’s family is secure, not because of what we have done, but because of who He is and what He has done for us. [01:14:12]
Ephesians 1:4-6 (ESV)
Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
Reflection: Where do you find yourself trying to earn God’s love or approval? How can you rest today in the truth that you are chosen and loved by God because of His grace, not your own merit?
God’s covenant love is not limited by geography, ethnicity, or situation—it is a far-reaching love that extends to all nations and all people, ultimately fulfilled in Christ. Even when we feel isolated, overlooked, or when our efforts seem fruitless, God’s love is at work, reaching beyond what we can see or imagine. This love is both global and personal, inviting us to participate in His mission and to trust that He is drawing people to Himself in every place and season. [01:18:54]
John 3:16 (ESV)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Reflection: Who in your life or community might need to experience God’s far-reaching love through you today? What is one practical way you can extend that love beyond your usual boundaries?
When our expectations are unmet and life feels disappointing, we can become spiritually disengaged—going through the motions of faith without wholehearted devotion. This “quiet quitting” is subtle, often masked by outward religiosity, but it erodes our passion and trust in God’s love. God invites us to bring our doubts and disillusionment to Him, to rediscover His unchanging love, and to re-engage our hearts in genuine relationship with Him, even when circumstances are hard. [01:08:23]
Malachi 1:2 (ESV)
“I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?”
Reflection: Are there areas in your spiritual life where you have been quietly “checking out” or doing the bare minimum? What is one step you can take today to re-engage your heart with God’s love?
In seasons of dryness, waiting, or suffering—when we feel alone or question God’s presence—He remains our Emmanuel, the shade at our right hand, sustaining and comforting us. Like the trees in the desert, God’s love may take time to bear visible fruit, but He is always near, providing what we need and working in ways we may not see. We are called to trust His presence and faithfulness, knowing that His love will ultimately make all things new and that He is with us in every circumstance. [44:13]
Psalm 121:5-6 (ESV)
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
Reflection: When have you felt like you were in a spiritual “desert”? How can you look for and rest in God’s sustaining presence and love today, even if you don’t see immediate results?
The story of God’s love is one of faithfulness across generations, a love that is not dependent on our worthiness or circumstances, but rooted in His own character and covenant. As we reflect on the call to pass on faith to the next generation, we are reminded that our influence—whether as parents, teachers, or friends—can have an impact far beyond what we see. The legacy of faith is not just about immediate results, but about sowing seeds that may bear fruit long after we are gone, as seen in the stories of the acacia and tamarisk trees: some fruit comes quickly, some only in the lives of our grandchildren.
In seasons of dryness or discouragement, when we feel like we are in a desert and see little visible fruit, God’s love remains our shade and sustenance. The testimony from Vietnam illustrates that ministry and faithfulness often require patience, trust, and a willingness to keep showing up, even when results are hidden. Sometimes, the encouragement we need comes from unexpected places, and the very people we seek to serve become a source of comfort and strength to us.
Turning to the book of Malachi, we see a people who have returned from exile, only to find their reality does not match their expectations. Disillusionment sets in, and their faith becomes a matter of routine rather than passion. God’s response is not to rebuke them for their disappointment, but to remind them of His unchanging, covenant love—a love that is irrevocable, electing, and far-reaching. God’s love is not based on our performance or circumstances, but on His own faithfulness. Even when we are tempted to doubt, to “quiet quit” in our spiritual lives, or to measure God’s love by our current situation, the cross stands as the ultimate proof of His steadfast love.
God’s covenant love is not only for us, but is meant to overflow beyond our borders—into our families, our communities, and the nations. The challenge is to anchor our hearts in this unchanging love, to resist letting our circumstances define our view of God, and to trust that He is at work, even when we cannot see the results. As we journey through Malachi, may we rediscover the depth, security, and far-reaching power of God’s love, and let it transform how we live, serve, and hope.
Malachi 1:1-5 (ESV) — > 1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
> 2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob
> 3 but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.”
> 4 If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’”
> 5 Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”
Deuteronomy 7:7-8 (ESV) — > 7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples,
> 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Ephesians 1:4-6 (ESV) — > 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
> 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
> 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
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