Consider in Times of Adversity
In Micah 1-2, we find the nation is
immoral and corrupt; the time to
repent has come and gone; the
earlier prophets were unheeded.
Such is the state of Judah as Micah
emerges during the reigns of Jotham,
Ahaz and Hezekiah. His task is to
indict the unrepentant people of God
and to announce the irreversible
edict of God for the transgressions
of Jacob and sins of Israel (1:3-5).
The leaders are mostly to blame
for they are not shepherds and
their religion is pretence (3:1-12).
Many prefer to see God as kindly,
eternally patient and somehow
ignorant of the way people treat
each other and the world. But we
see in Micah 1-3 that God would
punish the injustice he so detested
(and still does) & Jerusalem would
be destroyed. God’s anger here
points to His desire that we all
strive for and live in justice & peace.
Lord, grace in our resolutions.
We will Not Engage In Idolatry.
We will Not Be Covetous. And
We will Not Exploit Others. Amen.
Lord, we will Not Engage In Idolatry:
The Sovereign Lord has made accusations against you; the Lord
speaks from His holy Temple. Look! The Lord leaves His throne & comes
to earth..They melt beneath His feet
& flow into valleys like wax in a fire…
And why is this happening? Because
of the sins and rebellion of Israel
and Judah… Where is the center
of idolatry in Judah? In Jerusalem…
I the Lord will make Samaria a heap
of rubble… All her carved images
will be smashed to pieces (Mic1:2-7)
Weep you people of Judah… for the
children you love will be snatched
away & exiled to distant lands (v16)
Lord, we recognise that You are
holy, will remain true to Your nature
& punishes unfaithfulness & idolatry.
Help us Lord to be holy and loving
like You. And grateful that while
You God is holy and just, You’re also
gracious, faithful and loving. Amen.
Lord, we will Not Be Covetous:
Woe to those who devise iniquity,
and work out evil on their beds!..
They covet fields and take them by
violence, also houses & seize them.
So they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.
But this is what the Lord says: I will reward your evil with evil (Mic2:1-3)
Will the Lord’s Spirit have patience
with such behaviour? If you would
do what is right, you would find
my words comforting (Micah 2:7).
Lord, there are people who fall prey
to the ambitions of the powerful.
We will not use position or power
to take what we want by force;
but will be content with what God
has blessed us with and rely on
Him to provide for our needs. Amen.
Lord, we will Not Exploit Others:
Listen you leaders of Israel!
You are supposed to know right
from wrong, but you are the very
ones who hate good and love evil…
This is what the Lord says: You
false prophets are leading my
people astray! You promise peace
for those who give you food, but
you declare war on those who
refuse to feed you (Mic 3:1-2, 5).
But as for me, I am filled with
power, with the Spirit of the Lord.
I am filled with justice and strength
to boldly declare Israel’s sin (v8).
Lord, we realise spiritual leaders
have an awesome responsibility
to make clear the difference right
& wrong, and to live it out. Never to serve themselves & exploit people.
Lord grant us the courage to act
on what we see and be bold enough
to speak out about what is wrong.
Help us Lord whenever we minister
or serve others, to do so willingly
and cheerfully for Christ. Amen.
