10th August 2023
Keep up the chatter!
Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.”
Malachi 3:16-17 (ESV)
I had to tell you this. Question: What do you do with a bored, lonely parrot? Answer: teach it to call a friend. Yes, really. In an experiment in the States fifteen owners showed their birds how to make a video call to another of the parrots. Once the birds got the hang of the technology they were free to make five minute calls whenever they wanted. And so they did. They knew that they were looking at a different bird, not a picture of themselves. They talked to each other, they sang, and they showed off their toys to each other. And they thrived on it.
Of course, they’re designed to be social. And although we may not be so pretty as a parrot, we are meant to be sociable too. We have been given the ability and the opportunity to communicate to each other in a way that far transcends the rest of the natural world.
And God, if I can put it this way, is really chuffed when we get together and talk, in person if we can, if not via all the ways open to us now – phone, video links, even good old letters.
He hasn’t changed from his reaction to those in Malachi’s day who were talking about him to each other. He says he keeps a heavenly book containing the names of all us God-chatterers.
Look how he views us: the ESV tells us that God sees us as his treasured possession. Other translations say he calls us his jewels. There are people in this country who become known as ‘national treasures’. But we are God’s national treasures.
Prayer
Father, what a delight we have that we can get together in freedom and talk about you, sing to you, pray to you, and share with each other our joy in you. And what a joy it is to know that you are so happy when we do that, that we are so precious to you. Amen.
Study by Hilary Buck
About the writer:
Hilary Buck is a minister and pastors the Lewes congregation of Grace Communion International.
Local congregation:
Grace Communion in Lewes
The House of Friendship
208 High Street
Lewes
BN7 2NS
Meeting time:
Sunday 11:00 am
Local congregational contact:
Hilary Buck
Email: lewes@gracecom.church
Like us on www.facebook.com/Grace Communion Lewes
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church