This is the message that the LORD gave Malachi to tell the people of Israel.

The LORD says to his people, "I have always loved you."

But they reply, "How have you shown your love for us?"

The LORD answers, "Esau and Jacob were brothers, but I have loved Jacob and his descendants, and have hated Esau and his descendants. I have devastated Esau’s hill country and abandoned the land to wild animals."

If Esau’s descendants, the Edomites, say, "Our towns have been destroyed, but we will rebuild them," then the LORD will reply, "Let them rebuild – I will tear them down again. People will call them, ‘The evil country’ and ‘The nation with whom the LORD is angry forever.’"

The people of Israel are going to see this with their own eyes, and they will say, "The LORD is mighty even outside the land of Israel!"

Malachi 1:1-5

Was God unfair to love Jacob and hate Esau? Why was Esau undeserving of God’s love? These are valid questions that are difficult to answer or to explain. But have we ever considered the very basic question of whether anyone has ever been deserving of God’s love, except for Jesus? God is perfect, as is His Son. Even in our best moments we struggle with sin. We are undeserving of His love. But He loves us. He sent His Son to die for us, so that we could be with Him in heaven. We can’t understand it. We can’t explain it. God gives us a choice of free will. He wants us to make the decision. God does not condemn us. We condemn ourselves. All we can do is respond in gratitude to God’s amazing grace and love.

God’s grace gives us what we don’t deserve.

Our Daily Bread – August 16, 2002