Micah 6-7

Micah 6-7

 

Divan and I were watching tv the other night, channel surfing, and I came across the last 20 minutes of "A Few Good Men." If you want the truth, I have honestly never seen the entire movie, but I (and I'm sure the rest of America) can quote the entire last 10 minutes.  I'm going word by word back and forth with Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson about wanting the truth, Divan looks at me, lovingly rolls his eyes at me, and we move on.  Trying to justify myself to him, I started to ramble on about how this is probably the most famous movie court scene in movies.  Reading this passage in Micah made me think of that court scene – the desire for justice and truth.  In chapter 6 and 7 we images of a court room, a sinful nation, and a just God. 

            Israel has always been a wishy- washy nation.  They are for God and then they are against Him.  They are told to "plead their case."  We see the God in a big light – a Deliverer.  God reminds His people (over and over again) about how He has always bailed them out – Egypt, evil kings, and slavery.  A great picture and attribute of who God is.  He never gave up on them.  He saved and delivered them.  We see God not wanting quantity or stuff.  He does not want rituals or religious acts that are empty.  He doesn't want us to give offerings like Cain.  So "what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."  Wow.  Not gonna lie, but I felt my heart lifted.  I felt a sigh of relief, I almost got a little emotional after reading this verse.  What a GRACIOUS God.  That's what He wants from me.  There is action, there is love, and walking (a daily function) with God.  He wants me with Him.  No bells and whistles. 

            The relief kinda faded as I continued to read, and the reality checked in that I serve and follow a merciful God who loves, but He is also a just God, a wrathful and jealous God.  He hates sin and He punishes.  Israel was warned and experienced this wrath: the absence of satisfaction, famine, war, poverty, empty harvests, war, and emptiness and misery. 

            We jump into chapter 7 (which has become one of my new favorites) and we see a development in this eternal court scene.  Truth! Redemption! So many amazing images of God: our Savior, Merciful, DELIGHTED, forgiver, Compassionate, Promise Keeper.  Israel confesses, "Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.  Because I have sinned against Him,  I will bear the Lord's wrath, until he pleads my case and establishes my right."  He will bring me out into the light…:  Wow again.  Relief.   

            I think about all the world religions and all the false gods people worship.  There is none like Him. The nations will one day see God and be ashamed.  God loves his children and actually DELIGHTS in showing mercy.  He forgives our sins and transgressions.  The ugliness that we tuck away in the back of our hearts, minds, and pasts, even those He delights in forgiveness and mercy.  His compassion is so great and endless He "treads out our sins underfoot, and hurls ALL (yes all) our inequities (sins and ugly darkness) into the depths of the sea."  I can't even imagine what the depths of the sea looks like or how deep it really is.  Our God is so big and so great.  Relief again.  Court adjourned and the sinners are saved.  I am saved.  What a God.  We see the images of deliverance.  We see the picture of our Savior.  Delighted to show us mercy.  Compassionate.  I am humbled.