1. Malachi 1:2 (ESV)
  2. Application

Thankfulness for what you have received

Malachi 1:2 (ESV)

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

Rather than becoming discouraged by observing non-Christians enjoying things that we do not, we ought to be encouraged by observing what we as Christians enjoy that others do not. In Psalm 73 Asaph nearly lost his faith because he observed that the wicked enjoyed blessings that he did not, and that they escaped some of the suffering that he experienced. But by the grace of God, his vision was corrected when he went to the house of God. There he perceived that while the ungodly enjoy many good things in this life and escape much suffering, in the end they will experience eternal destruction. Conversely, although the godly suffer much in this life, they will experience eternal bliss. We do well as Christians to count our manifold blessings, for both in this life and the life to come, rather than look enviously at what the ungodly enjoy and despondently at our deprivations.