Thursday 08 September 2022
- Bible Book:
- Micah
And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. (v. 4)
Background
Our impatient society today is serviced by on-demand TV, food deliveries within an hour and next-day delivery for clothes, electronics and anything else that takes our fancy. Social media has fuelled our impatience, showing ‘hacks’ to get things done quicker – often in bizarre ways. Advertising increases our desire for instant gratification whether in shopping, food or sex. We are swept along in its wake.
But when we step into Micah’s world immediately the pace slows down. It was not easy living in Israel or Judah at this time. The world of easy living that the contemporaries of that time knew had shut them off from hearing and responding to God's call. Their desire for riches, food and sex had overwhelmed them and doused their desire to be close to God and to see God’s good purposes achieved.
Micah 5 is a tiny portion of scripture that looks backwards and forwards from a position of being ‘walled in’. There is a saviour on the horizon, not to be found among the rich and famous or the worthy of the time. The true ruler will come from obscurity, but their credibility will be in their ancient roots – they will be able to trace their family tree back to God’s very self at creation.
The people who have rejected God, even though they once knew God are now set aside. Their lack of faithful living and their selfish ways have surpassed their love for God. This will be the case until the one who is promised comes.
I love the pacing of this passage. It is not a quick-fix, but it is a lasting one. The influence that the saviour brings is real and solid. It is long awaited and it is good. There is true dignity and honour in him and the nourishment that he brings is good.
To Ponder:
- Where have you sought satisfaction for your soul?
- How might slowing down help us to catch up with God?
- Where is true nourishment and leadership found? How can we swim against the cultural tide of instant sex, food and shopping to properly root in holy matters that are God-honouring and good?