Friday 10 July 2015

Psalm: Psalm 38: 10-22

Background

If you ever stand in a great cathedral or basilica, you cannothelp but be overtaken by awe at its magnificent architecture, sheerscale and intricately crafted detail. Even if we do not feelentirely comfortable with such extravagance, we can understand theintent of its creator - to produce a building that communicatessomething of the greatness and majesty of the God in whose name ithas been constructed.

We might be similarly inspired by other art forms - like a greatmusical anthem or contemporary worship gathering, each in their ownway seeking to capture something of our sense of praise andadoration for God. Those who compose and lead such activity arealso seeking to answer the questions - what does God require? Howcan we adequately respond to who God is?

These are questions that every generation and community of God'speople have asked through history. The prophet Micah knew well themagnificent temple of Jerusalem and its surrounding citadel; a holycity, where a successful nation performed great and stunningrituals in celebration of God.

Yet the difficult and painful message that he bears is thattheir activities are inadequate.  Inadequate not because thereis insufficient splendour, pomp and ceremony, but that this is notwhat God requires. Instead of being expression of living as Godintends, religious festivals have become a substitute for it.People are so involved in doing things 'for' God that they havestopped listening 'to' God, so much so, that God's judgement isdeclared to the mountains and the hills (verses 1-2); if the peoplewill not listen, perhaps the land will.

The people had done wrong; they may not have abandoned theirgreat worship rituals, but they had abandoned the laws andprinciples of honesty, fairness and justice that God laid down asthe foundation for their corporate life. To call the nation back toGod did not involve more and greater acts of worship or expectingpeople to come flooding back to the temple in droves - but tore-embrace the values of God's kingdom in their everyday lives;summed up by the powerful words of verse 8 - "to do justice, lovekindness and walk humbly".

Micah's words are no less challenging today; we can easilyrecognise equivalent injustice and wrongdoing in our own society.The call to God's people is not simply to engage in great acts ofceremony and festival, but to work to develop communities ofjustice, kindness and humility.

To Ponder

• What does the Lord require of his people today?And what does the Lord require of you?

• How often are we too busy doing things for God, that we stoplistening to God?

• To what degree can religious activity and routine become asubstitute for working for justice, kindness and humility in oursociety?