IS YOUR NAME WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE? A sermon preached by Fortune Nwaiwu
IS YOUR NAME WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE?
Malachi 3:15-16 NLT
[15]From now on we will call the
arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to
punish them suffer no harm.’”
[16]Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In his
presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who
feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.
It is definitely not uncertain that most of us, when we
feel forgotten, think that life is unfair. This is especially true when a pious
man who serves dutifully hopes for fairness but sees the opposite. When we
don't receive what we honestly look forward to, it pains our hearts.
Let me digress a bit. The parable of the prodigal son
tells the story of a man who received his inheritance and went to a faraway
land, where he spent the money extravagantly. His faithful brother stayed with
their father, serving him, and there was never a time when a cow or sheep was
slaughtered for him. But when the prodigal son returned from his trip and
wasted all the money, his father was happy to welcome him back. He even killed
a cow to celebrate. This made the other son flare up in rage because he felt
treated unfairly. To him, what his father did was unjust. He had been with
their father, serving him, and no cow was ever slaughtered for him. Now, the brother
who squandered his inheritance was received with a grand welcome. This caused the son great pain
as he felt he was not treated well.
The parable has its own lessons, but we can point to it
to illustrate the fact that when we are not treated accordingly, we may feel
bad. Every moral person deserves fairness.
Now, let us turn to the book of Malachi 3:14-17.
In Malachi's time, people were very disappointed in their
leaders. Sin was common and it seemed that sinners were favored more than the
pious Jews. This made most of the faithful ones grumble about the need to serve
the Lord and be obedient to His commandments. These faithful ones were no
longer happy with how the sinners were prospering while the righteous ones were
not. This sentiment made their minds bitter, and they said,
"What's the use of serving God? What have we gained
by obeying His commandments or by trying to show the Lord of Heaven's Armies
that we are sorry for our sins?" - Mal. 3:14.
These people felt that life was unfair. They believed
that by obeying the Lord's commandments, prosperity was guaranteed. They
believed that only the righteous would be blessed. They must have read Psalm
1:1-2,
1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of
the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But
his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law, he meditates day and
night.
But right away, they felt the opposite. I think what
these people experienced during their time is similar to what Nigerians are
going through now. Nigeria is a nation where amnesty and empowerment are
granted to wrongdoers. Many cult members receive employment opportunities more
than law-abiding citizens, and those who engage in nasty activities seem to
prosper while those who look unto God are less favored. So it seems that this
is what the pious Israelites were complaining about. Based on what they saw,
they said,
"From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For
those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no
harm." - Mal. 3:17.
The Bible says in Mal. 3:16 that when those who feared
the Lord spoke with each other, the Lord listened to them, and in His presence,
a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared
God. This scroll will serve as evidence that the Lord will never forget His own
people. It is a reminder that the Lord will spare His people when He rises in
anger to punish the evildoers. It serves as evidence that God does not overlook
sins.
When your name is in the book of remembrance
A book of remembrance is where information is written to
aid in recalling something in case human memory fails.
In Isaiah 49:16, God says: “See, I have written your name
on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls
in ruins.”
This quotation does not really mean that God can forget
things like human beings. He doesn’t,
but rather uses analogy of what human beings know to drive some certain ideas
home. His emphasis is that the ruins of Jerusalem were in his mind, and for the
reason of writing it on his palms showed that it was what would not be
forgotten. This is because a man always looks on the palms of his hands.
Dear reader, you are the picture of the Jerusalem ruined
walls that the Lord is remembering right away. Your suffering is like the
Jerusalem’s walls in ruin that the Lord is remembering today.
However, this book
of remembrance may not necessarily be only a physical one, but also what has
been stored in our memory, which we can recall when necessary. At times, the
book of remembrance could be recorded for mercy or punishment against
wickedness.
1.
Remembrance for
mercy – 2 Sam 9:1 - When Mephibosheth
felt that life was so unfair to him, David cried out, "Is there anyone
still in the house of Saul that I may show mercy for the sake of Jonathan my
friend?" it is obvious here that David remembered the family of Saul not
to take vengeance because of all that Saul did to him, but to show kindness for
the sake of his friend, Jonathan. Some people today have benefitted as a result
of the charitable deeds of their parents. That is why it is good to be good. Do
good unto others so that people will not remember you for wickedness. Mephibosheth
seemed to be forgotten since his father had died. He never imagined that a man
like David would ever remember him for good despite the wrongs Saul did to
David. This story of Mephibosheth reminds us that there are people who are in
shadows of forgetfulness may be after experiencing unkind blows of nature. Such
people tend to live a solitary life, and subscribe to the unfair nature of
life. If nothing can get us discouraged God will remember us.
2. Remembrance for reward - After Mordecai
revealed the evil plot of Bigthana and Teresh to King Xerxes, he was not
rewarded. He seemed to have been forgotten. No one remembered him, and yet he continued to trust in the Lord. But
when the Jews faced challenges, God did not allow the king to have peace of
mind until a book was brought to him, and he saw that a man like Mordecai, who
had saved him from his evil servants, was not rewarded. This book served as a
remembrance book. Then Mordecai was remembered and spared. What if Mordecai’s
name was not in that remembrance book? What would be the fate of the
Israelites? Then, it follows that if
human remembrance fails, divine intervention becomes our ultimate hope. Let's us not be dismayed when mere mortals don't remember us. All our plight is written on the Lord's palms. God is not unjust to forget all you have suffered for him. May he reward you, and bless you as you continually anchoring your faith in him.
2. Lord, we pray for a deep conviction to search our hearts and examine our lives. Show us any areas where we have fallen short and help us repent, seeking forgiveness and restoration in Your grace.
3. Heavenly Father, reveal to us the importance of having our names written in the book of remembrance. Help us understand that it is not by our own works, but through faith in Jesus Christ that our names are inscribed in this book.
4. Lord, strengthen our faith so that we may fully trust in Your promises. Help us to believe that through Jesus, our sins are forgiven, and our names are forever preserved in the book of remembrance.
5. Heavenly Father, guide us in prioritizing our relationship with You above all else. Help us to seek You diligently, striving to live in a way that honors and glorifies Your name.
6. Lord, teach us to be mindful of our actions and words, recognizing that they have eternal significance. May we be known for acts of love, kindness, and compassion, leaving a lasting legacy that brings honor to Your name.
7. Heavenly Father, grant us the courage to share the Good News of salvation through Jesus with those around us. Help us to be bold witnesses, leading others to find hope and assurance in having their names written in the book of remembrance.
8. Lord, strengthen our perseverance and endurance in the face of trials and tribulations. Remind us that our names are secure in Your book, and nothing can separate us from Your love.
9. Heavenly Father, ignite within us a desire to live a life marked by obedience to Your Word. May we continuously grow in faith, always seeking to honor You and live in alignment with Your will.
10. Lord, as we conclude this prayer, we ask for Your grace and mercy to cover us. May Your Spirit guide us daily, reminding us of the importance of having our names written in the book of remembrance. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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