Return to me.

This morning, I find myself wide awake after getting home from a late night (or early morning?) at work. So, per usual, I took this opportunity of calm and quiet in my home to spend some uninterrupted time with my Father. On my drive home from work, I was trying to decide where I wanted to read in my Bible once I got home. Almost right away, the book of Malachi was brought to the surface of my mind. I wasn't too sure at first because it felt like such an obscure suggestion, but then I remembered that it had been brought to the forefront of my mind the night before as well.

Reading through it, there wasn't a whole lot that stood out to me. There was a lot that sounded good and maybe stood out a little, but nothing really spoke to me. That is, until I got to the last chapter, verses 6 and 7.

I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Malachi 3:6-7 (NLT)

What first caught my attention was the beginning of this verse. "I am the Lord, and I do not change." I know that for me, it can be hard to wrap my head around that fact that God never changes. All we ever do is change, and consistency can be rather hard to come by. But God is the same today as He was yesterday, and He will always be the same, indescribable Creator. I think that's so reassuring to know, and it makes me want to obey Him and follow Him even more.

I also love that in these verses, God shows how much He loves us. That, even though we continue to deny Him, and we continue to scorn Him and what He has instructed us, He still wants us. He still asks us to return to Him so that He may return to us; we just need to take the first step.

Despite the fact that we will stumble (more than once, that's for sure) God still loves us. And He will not abandon us just because we make a few mistakes. Instead, He is there waiting for us to come back to Him, tail between our legs, with His arms open wide to receive us. That doesn't necessarily mean there won't be consequences for our disobedience, because there certainly will. But it does mean that God is still seeking an intimate relationship with his creation, even after we ignore His commands.

For me, personally, I saw this happen in my own life (and I'm sure I'm not the only one). I think it's easy for us to fall into the temptation of doing what we want, rather than doing what we know God has asked us to do. But once we come back to Him, ready to change and follow Him once again, I believe we can be changed in amazing ways. I love whenever Pastor Jay says, "You cannot come face to face with God and walk away unchanged."

Interesting how the one who never changes, will always leave us changed.