Devotional Thought: The book opens with a shocking question from the people: "How have you loved us?" After years of hardship, the Israelites felt abandoned. God’s response reminds them of His sovereign choice and election. It is easy to look at our difficult circumstances and question God's affection. But Malachi reminds us that God’s love isn't proven by our current comfort, but by His covenant commitment to be our God. He has chosen you, not because you are perfect, but because He is faithful.

Spiritual Practice: Journaling Gratitude. Write down 10 specific ways you have seen God’s hand in your life over the past year. When you doubt His love, read this list.

Conversation Starter with Your Kiddos: "Have you ever felt like I didn't love you because I said 'no' to something you wanted? How do we know God loves us even when things are hard?"

Devotional Thought: God confronts the priests (and the people) for bringing "blind and lame" animals for sacrifice. They were keeping the best for themselves and giving God the leftovers. God asks, "Try offering that to your governor!" It’s a stinging rebuke about priorities. Worship isn't just showing up; it's about worth. When we give God our leftover time, energy, or money, we are declaring that He isn't actually worth very much to us. He deserves our "firsts," not our scraps.

Spiritual Practice: Audit Your Schedule. Look at your calendar for tomorrow. Identify the "best" part of your day (when you are most energetic). Dedicate 15 minutes of that prime time to prayer or reading, rather than giving God the last 5 minutes before sleep.

Conversation Starter with Your Kiddos: "If you made a birthday card for your best friend, but you scribbled it on a dirty napkin, would that be a good gift? Why does God want our best effort?"

Devotional Thought: This passage is a heavy warning to leaders. The priests were supposed to teach truth and turn people away from sin, but instead, they caused people to stumble. While this specifically addresses religious leaders, it applies to anyone with influence—parents, bosses, mentors. God takes influence seriously. Our walk must match our talk. The greatest gift we can give those we lead is our own personal holiness and integrity.

Spiritual Practice: Pray for Leaders. Spend time today praying for your pastors, government officials, and bosses. Pray that they would walk in integrity and speak the truth.

Conversation Starter with Your Kiddos: "What is a leader? Did you know that as a big brother/sister/friend, you are a leader? How can you show others the right way to act today?"

Devotional Thought: Malachi shifts from our relationship with God to our relationships with one another. He tackles the issue of broken faith—specifically divorce and marrying those who worship foreign gods. The core issue is covenant breaking. God hates divorce not because He hates people, but because He loves faithfulness. He wants His people to be people who keep their word, because He is a God who keeps His word. How we treat our spouses and families is a direct reflection of our theology.

Spiritual Practice: The Uncomfortable Apology. Is there a relationship where you have broken trust or been "unfaithful" to a promise? Reach out today to apologize or make amends, even if it feels awkward.

Conversation Starter with Your Kiddos: "What does a promise mean? Why is it super important that when we say we will do something, we actually do it?"

Devotional Thought: The people were weary and cynical, asking, "Where is the God of justice?" Malachi promises that the Lord will come, but He will come like a "refiner's fire" and "fuller's soap." This sounds scary, but it is actually hopeful. A refiner uses fire not to destroy the gold, but to remove the impurities that make it less valuable. God loves you too much to leave you in your sin. He applies the heat of conviction to make you pure, shining, and more like Jesus.

Spiritual Practice: Confession. Sit in silence for 5 minutes. Ask God, "What impurities are you trying to burn out of me right now?" Confess what comes to mind and thank Him for the cleansing.

Conversation Starter with Your Kiddos: "Have you ever seen someone polish silver or scrub a dirty pan really hard? Why do they do that? How does God 'scrub' our hearts to make them shiny?"

Devotional Thought: This is perhaps the most famous passage in Malachi. The people withheld their tithes (10%), and God accused them of robbery. It wasn't that God needed the money; it was that their hoarding showed they didn't trust Him to provide. This is the only place in the Bible where God says, "Test me." He invites us to be generous, promising that obedience opens the "windows of heaven." Generosity is the antidote to the fear of scarcity.

Spiritual Practice: A Step of Generosity. Look at your finances. Are you trusting God with your first fruits? If not, make a plan to start tithing. If you can't give money right now, find a way to be radically generous with your possessions or food today.

Conversation Starter with Your Kiddos: "If I gave you 10 cookies and asked you to give one back to me, would that be hard? Why do you think God asks us to share our money with the church and the poor?"

Devotional Thought: As the Old Testament closes, there is a distinction made between the arrogant who ignore God and the remnant who fear Him. For those who revere His name, the "Sun of Righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings." This is a beautiful prophecy of Jesus. After Malachi, there were 400 years of silence before the New Testament begins. This passage teaches us how to wait: by fearing the Lord, remembering His law, and looking with hope toward the sunrise of the Messiah.

Spiritual Practice: Write a "Book of Remembrance." Verse 3:16 mentions a book of remembrance written before God. Write a letter to your future self (or your children) recording the specific ways God has been faithful to you during this week of study.

Conversation Starter with Your Kiddos: "What is the very first thing you see in the morning when the dark goes away? (The Sun). The Bible says Jesus is like the Sun coming up to chase away the scary dark. How does Jesus make us feel safe?"

1. Prophetic Connections Study: Malachi’s themes point directly forward to the New Testament. Explore these connections by reading in the Gospels about John the Baptist (the promised "Elijah," see Matthew 11:7-14) and Jesus cleansing the Temple (Matthew 21:12-13), which directly confronts the defiled worship Malachi condemned.

2. Covenant Review: Malachi repeatedly calls Israel back to covenant faithfulness. Spend a week reading key "covenant" passages (e.g., Genesis 15, Exodus 19-20, Jeremiah 31:31-34) to deepen your understanding of God’s relational promises and our call to faithful response.

3. Join or Start a Small Group Study: The themes of Malachi — worship, integrity, generosity, and hope — are best wrestled with in community. Find a small group at your church or invite a few friends to read through Malachi together, using the devotional questions from this plan as discussion starters.

4. Read the Gospel of Luke: Since Malachi's closing prophecy about the coming messenger is so directly fulfilled in the New Testament, consider reading the Gospel of Luke, which beautifully traces the arrival of John the Baptist and the ministry of Jesus — the ultimate answer to everything Malachi pointed toward.