Today’s scripture reading finishes up the Old Testament and then has a 400 year break and then begins the New Testament with the Gospel of Matthew.  The final words in Malachi are important to consider.

He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.  Malachi 4:6

It really is all about the heart.  The Lord wants our hearts.  He wants a relationship with us…so much so that He was willing to send His son into this world in order to make a way for our hearts to turn back toward Him.