Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for today is taken from the Book of the Prophet Micah, Chapter Seven verse 18, “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy,” (NIV). The seventh and last chapter of the Book of Micah opens with the words, “Woe is me!” The prophet describes a situation where the summer fruits are harvested, but there is none for the farmer to eat. Justice is being twisted by the leaders. Neighbours cannot be trusted and in the same household strife and animosity result in family members being enemies. Even in these calamitous circumstances the believers are urged to look out and keep watch for the Lord will deliver his remnant, those who continue to serve him. Even when the righteous person fails and falls, God comes and lifts him up so that the enemies will not be able to rejoice at the turmoil that has befallen God’s children. He will be Light in the darkness, and finally the calls and utterances of woe will turn to praise. Those who scoffed at the Lord will see his deliverance, and they will come and repent in the dust, like a serpent, as prophesied in Genesis 3 verse 15. God shall be feared by the nations, and He shall forgive and forget their wrongs as He promised in Psalm 103 verse 12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” We see divisive behaviour of people throughout the world; there seems to be very little stability lately. The pandemic that is devouring the world has not brought people to regard and treat each other fairly or brought people to fear God. It has managed to bring more strife and isolation in its wake, but God will come in his perfect time and set the world and her people right and the nations will fear Him again.
To fear the Lord means to love Him as He ought to be loved: with our whole soul, mind, heart, body and strength (Deuteronomy 6 verse 5). God has the world, the seasons and times of the world, and the future in his hands. He is the God who has compassion on his children. He wants them to live a life of abundance in this world of beauty He created. The cycles of life, of generations and nations, include much joy and many sorrows. Living during times of catastrophes should make us come close to God to look out for his redemption and to call all to trust the Lord and wait for ultimate good outcomes.
The Apostle Paul writes in his Letter to the Romans, “God who did not withhold his Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else?” What Paul wrote to the first century Christians in Rome is just as applicable to us today. God has given us his greatest Gift, His Son. Jesus Christ redeemed us on the Cross and made us free from suffering the penalties of paying for our unrighteousness. We cannot fulfil the Law of God perfectly, but Jesus fulfilled it on our behalf, and therefore we do not have to pay a ransom, a price for breaking the law. We are able to come to God, we are freed to attain life with God in heaven, for our place is prepared and our names are written on the Scroll of “those who Love the Lord”. Paul says that God gave to the World that which he promised: His most Beloved and Perfect Gift, His only Begotten Son. Jesus is the Good News, He is the Gospel. The Gift that we have received is the priceless treasure that broke God’s heart. He suffered to see his Son on Calvary, dying in obedience, for us. If God was prepared to gift us with his Greatest Gift, the other needs that we have are small in comparison to the need we had of redemption and salvation. God knows what we need before we ask Him; He shall fulfil the prayers of his crying children.
Father, we stand in awe before you! You forgive, forget and make all things new! Amen.