MEDITATIONS FROM THE MINOR PROPHETS

November 28, 2007

Reading:  Micah 7:8-10

"Do not rejoice over me, my enemy" Micah 7:8

What a phenomenal passage of scripture in which the child of God can rejoice and take comfort. These words might well come from the lips of our Savior as He hung on the cross having been made sin on our behalf. He became that which He despised and His Father, who is so Holy that He cannot look upon sin, hid His face from Him. The thought of this event caused Him to sweat blood and ask "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will" Mark 14:36. Even the sun stopped shining casting darkness over the face of the earth. Satan, an angel who is not omniscient and who does not know what the future holds unless it is revealed to him, surely must have thought he had cast the final victorious dart into the heart of God's Son. Was there rejoicing among the devil and his angels. If there was, it did not last long. "Do not rejoice over me, my enemy." My death is but temporary. Soon you will be asking, "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" 1 Corinthians 15:55.

"When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me" Micah 7:8.

We also, as children of God, redeemed by this victory earned by Jesus, can draw great strength and comfort from these words. Who among us can say we have not fallen? Have we not all yielded to the temptations placed before us by our enemy? These victories of the devil in our life are but temporary for the Spirit of God dwells in us and will faithfully convict us and bring us to confess our sin. When we do, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness-1 John 1:9. Nothing will cloud us with darkness more than unconfessed sin. Live with it for one minute, one day or many years, and it will seem that God has hidden Himself from us. The reality, however, is that He is still with us and He remains faithful to His promise to never leave us nor forsake us. Eventually, He who is the Light of the World will break through the darkness and our fellowship with Him will be restored.

"I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my case and executes justice for me" Micah7:9.

Sin has its consequences. This is true both to the Believer and the Unbeliever, and God does not automatically remove those consequences. If He uses sickness as a means of discipline, when we confess our sin He forgives but does not promise to heal us. He does say, however, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness" 2 Corinthians 12:9.

When the light replaces the darkness God gives us another of His remarkable promises,

"He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness" Micah 7:9.

"Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life'" John 8:12.

The key is "He who follows Me." Sin interferes with our walk with the Lord every time. That sweet fellowship we enjoy with Jesus is interrupted and our prayers seem to bounce of the clouds as if they were brass.

"Guilt (sin) clips the wings of prayer so that it cannot fly to the throne of grace, but forgiveness breeds confidence." Thomas Watson, 1666, The Godly Man's Picture.

Thank You, my God, for the work of Your Spirit in my life. Thank You that Your Light overpowers the darkness that sin causes. Thank You, that when in my weakness I fall, You raise me to my feet that I may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.