October 9 Daily Devotional

The Book of Remembrance

Charles and Norma Ellis

Bible Reading:

Malachi 3:13-18

¹³Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
¹⁴Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?
¹⁵And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
¹⁶Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
¹⁷And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
¹⁸Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Devotional:

Some young Christians in this generation have a freedom in speaking often to one another about the Lord which some of their parents from a more reserved day have to achieve with some effort. God is pleased if we speak often 'one to another' about Him (3:16). That is part of what Deuteronomy 6 is all about. Especially in the home should we manifest God's reality and presence by speaking freely about Him.

Verses 14 and 15 point to the person who thinks the long-faced Christian has done his duty. In verse 16 it is made clear that those in whom the fear of the Lord really flourishes will bubble over in their love and praise and very naturally share together their faith and testimony to His grace. He will hear them and engrave their names in His Book of Remembrance!

Those people He will spare as a man spares his faithful son. They will be gathered up into His safe treasury in the day when He will come to make up His jewels. Others may perish but these will be safe.

O God, unloosen our tongues! We think about You so often, but our conversation does not reflect our thoughts. We are like Gamaliel Bradford:

I think about God,
Yet I talk of small matters. Now isn't it odd
How my idle tongue chatters! Of quarrelsome neighbors,
Fine weather and rain, Indifferent labors,
Indifferent pain,
Some trivial style
I am thinking of God.*

* Shadow Verses. Yale University Press, 1920.

We are happy to have obtained permission to post as our current daily devotional Heirs Together of Life: Daily Bible Reading for Husbands and Wives, published by The Banner of Truth Trust. Don't be misled by the subtitle. As the book's "Preface" indicates (see below), although Heirs Together of Life is "especially prepared for couples,"the authors declare, "Since the basis for this guide is God's Word, we believe it would have value for any reader."

Charles and Norma Ellis are husband and wife and the authors not only of Heirs Together of Life (which was first published in 1980 and continues in print today), but also of Wells of Salvation (first published in 1985, and likewise still in print today). The latter contains a series of short studies covering the entire book of Isaiah, while the former contains a series of almost 200 short studies covering the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Both books by the Ellises can be ordered from the publisher, The Banner of Truth Trust. We trust that these daily Bible readings, posted daily on our site, will be helpful to you in your Christian walk before God. Whether married or not, all of us are members of families and members of the family of God.

Charles Ellis was educated at Wheaton College and Westminster Theological Seminary. Upon graduation from Westminster (where he earned not only a Th.B. but also a Th.M.), he was ordained to the ministry in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and pastored a number of OPC churches, including Immanuel OPC in West Collingswood, New Jersey; First OPC in Cincinnati, Ohio; Covenant OPC in East Orange, New Jersey; Knox OPC in Silver Spring, Maryland; and Lakeview OPC in Rockport, Maine. Less biographical information is available about his wife, but it is known that they served as parents of seven children. After retiring from the ministry, Charles Ellis went to be with the Lord in 2003, but he and his wife left us with a beautiful legacy in the two books they have given to the world, and we are proud to share the daily Bible readings from Heirs Together of Life here with you.