By Toni Ford
Have you ever heard of the Book of Micah? Better yet, have you ever read the Book of Micah? Micah was an Old Testament prophet who received visions from God concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Micah sought to call the Jews back to faithful worship of Adonai and sincere obedience to God’s covenant, but they refused to listen. It is a fascinating book, only seven chapters long, and I would encourage everyone take the time to read this minor prophet’s book.
I have several favorites in the Book of Micah, but probably my favorite portion comes from chapter seven. In this last portion of Micah, we see a turning point when he looked away from the sins of the people and began to meditate instead on the faithfulness of the Lord. Micah 7:7 says, “As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.” Micah continues in verses 18-20 to discuss the unchanging character of God. Micah knew that God would not go back on His promises of His covenant agreements with His people. The people might not always be true to Adonai, but Adonai will always be true to His people.
Here is what Micah knew about the character of God.
God is our only hope. When times were hard and when Micah was surrounded by troubles on every side, what did he do? Verse 7 tells us Micah’s stance when faced with challenging times. Micah looked to the Lord and then waited with confidence because he trusted that God would rescue him. Micah did not know all the details or how it would all take place, but he did know that God was his only hope in dire situations and that somehow, God would rescue him.
Our God is the only one and true God. Micah 7:18 says, “Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.” The Israelites rejected and turned their backs on God over and over again, just as we do today, and yet God never stopped loving them and will never stop loving us. God’s heart, His character, is unfailing love. That has never changed, just like there will never be a god greater than Adonai, the one true God.
God’s compassion is consistent. Micah 7:19 says, “Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!” Oh, how thankful I am for His compassion towards me!
God is trustworthy and always faithful. Micah 7:20 says, “You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago.” God’s faithfulness to you and me has never wavered. It is just as strong today as it was in the days of Abraham and Jacob!
Why does it help to know and understand the character of God?
* The better we know the character of God, the more we can trust Him for the future.
* The better we know the promises and covenants of God, the more peace we will have in our hearts when things fall apart.
* No matter how confusing and frightening our circumstances may be, the character of God remains. There is no doubt that we can trust our God!
Dear Lord, today we thank you for your character, and we pray that You would reveal Your character more and more to us as we spend time reading in your Word each day. Thank you that you are the One and only True God, that your compassion towards us is consistent and that you are, and always will be, faithful and trustworthy. We love You and thank You for who You are!
If you would like me to join you in prayer, please e-mail me at tonif77@gmail.com. I would love to pray for you!