Tuesday Reading: Micah 7:18-20
Key Verse: Micah 7:18
18 Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not keep His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.
Devotion:
Micah was writing these words several hundred years before Christ was born giving people plenty of time to know that God was about to show the people His absolute love for man and His never ending mercy too. These times were not meant to be times where people could let go and go with the flow but more times of people being called to prayer to prepare for what was coming. God gives us plenty of warning when things are about to change and He wants us to remember just who is in charge; but most of all He wants us to know His mercy.
The Israelites were in bondage because of their sins and the lifestyle they were leading. God had not forsaken them but had tried to get their attention. When things started going wrong they said that things were happening by chance because God was not with them. Instead of rising in prayer and staying close to God they drifted away and followed the ways of the world. Do you then wonder why God was angry?
As soon as we do acknowledge Him as our God and our Saviour we then have a safe place to be. He cannot be angry with us when we do come to Him humbly asking for forgiveness; His love for us far extends over that. When He does forgive us of our sins He puts them far behind, as though He was throwing them into the depths of the oceans – and they are far deeper than any mountain above earth! His promises continue to stand just as we can see that His promise hundreds of years before Christ was born came to pass. He delivered to us someone who could pay for our sins, take them away and forget about them. He did that because of His amazing mercy for us. He did that because He promised to do that. He did that because He does not forget promises. He did that because He is our God and we are His people!
Points to Ponder:
How long do you hold a grudge?
Are you preparing for your meeting with Christ?
