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Book of Remembrance
The book of Malachi begins with a clear statement from God that He loves His people. Yet the last of the minor prophets spends the vast majority of the book as the mouthpiece for a deity that has been forgotten. Or rather, His love has been forgotten. Both the priests and the people have forgotten the significance of their relationship with their God, the LORD of hosts (or perhaps a more modern translation would be "LORD of Armies"). This is the God of everything, who has all power, dominion and authority. If they would but love Him as He has loved them, then He would be their protector and strength. If they would return to Him, He would glady return to them (3:7).
But the priests and people have forgotten the significance of their relationship with God. They have slidden into apathy, going through all too familar motions of rote worship. The priests and people call good, evil and evil, good. They have boasted in their apathy, and whether their ignorance is feigned or otherwise, they appear unaware that there is anything wrong. They have committed treacherous unfaithfulness against their God, their community and even their own spouses (2:10-16). And it is Malachi's burden to call them out for all of this.
Yet, as is often the case in Scripture, God has a remnant. A group of people who remain faithful to Him even in the darkest of communities. It is this remnant that is spoken of in Malachi 3:16-18 (ESV):
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. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him."
Given the context of the book of Malachi and the place in the overall history of Israel, what would have been the focus of that "book of remembrance"? What would have been included? What would we include if we were writing our own book of remembrance?
Book of Remembrance - Book of Life
"Feared the LORD and esteemed His Name"
The book of remembrance would have included not the works of men but the condition of their hearts. God said time and again, I don't want your sacrifices without your hearts, without your reverence and without your love. If we are truly giving to God in love, if we sacrifice in reverence, we cannot help but give our best, our first fruits and our tithes. It will not be a burden, but an honor.
To be lukewarm, to give with hesitation, to do the minimal required in order to gain acceptance from man or God is an attitude of selfishness and gains us nothing. Our service, our gifts, our words are meaningless. They are burned up trash.
Sadly, my book of remembrance records little throughout most of my life. But God captured my heart, and like the Israel of old, I have been given yet another chance to be part of that remnant that adheres to God's covenant, serves him in joy and shares that experience with all who inquire. It is not I but Him that brings righteousness into my life.