salvation – Page 7 – Be Still…

Micah 7:7-13 – Light of the World

view of the earth from space with a bright light shining close beside it

Did you see Jesus in this passage? I did, so I looked at some of the resources David has on Micah. Remember he did his dissertation on this book–so there are still plenty of references sitting on his bookshelf. It appears others hadn’t seen Jesus, but I’d like to take this reflection in that direction anyway.

Because I ask the Holy Spirit to speak to my heart when I read a passage, I’m going to go with what I heard today because I’m never sure who is supposed to read my words. It is always my prayer that something the Lord gives me in my reflections will return to him full and overflowing.

Micah 4:6-13 – God’s in Charge

Read Micah 4:6-13

a pocket watch with the word FOREVER written on it

The generous and universal hope given in our last reading is again focused on the people of Judah, particularly in Jerusalem. There is hope for a return from the exile that hasn’t happened yet. This text seems to flip back and forth between judgment and rescue; however, it is regarded as an oracle of salvation.

The people must have thought Micah was crazy when he mentioned Babylon. While we know the Babylonians were the empire to take down Judah, at the time Micah said these words Babylon was not a power to be feared. This promised exile would have sounded a bit foolish to Micah’s audience. What effect do you think that had on Micah’s credibility?

Micah 2:12-13 – A New Beginning

Read Micah 2:12-13

Have you had the experience of reading a Bible passage, being completely certain the Holy Spirit gave you a message loud and clear, only to hear another’s viewpoint which is not at all the same? It’s like the Holy Spirit had a different message for them. Yet both messages seem relevant, even possible.

That just happened to me on this passage with my husband, David. You’ll recall he did his doctoral dissertation on the coherence of the Book of Micah, so I wasn’t surprised we may have had a different take. I was thrilled he shared with me several books from well-respected scholars displaying our respective messages. I had no idea Bible scholars had written such differing opinions so openly and with such authority. It was exhilarating! The Spirit inside me was overjoyed, too!

Amos 9:1-10 – All Escape Routes Closed

Read Amos 9:1-10

We have the fifth and final vision Amos records for us. This one is special because of God’s presence seen by Amos at the altar. There are very few people who have seen God, so Amos is immediately set apart as belonging to a special class of God’s ambassadors. We can also be ambassadors for God in our own circles and beyond. What does that look like for you?

In this intimate encounter, God confirms all of the messages he has already given Amos. This vision is thought to be one Amos received at a time later than the other visions. Take a moment to just let these words settle. “Then I saw a vision of the Lord standing beside the altar.” Seeing God is an honor I can only imagine having. How will it feel?

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 – Wisdom & Power

Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

little girl reading a book while sitting on a pile of books

God has it all figured out. We don’t need to doubt that, yet we do at times, thinking we might have a better idea. God’s wisdom has no boundaries. Don’t you agree this is a powerful statement by Paul. “Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.”

Paul wanted to remind the young church that God’s wisdom was what they should rely upon, even if they didn’t understand it. In that day, “wisdom” would have been ascribed to people having “exalted knowledge” and the ability to share that knowledge in a polished way. I think of “hoity-toity” circles of people with lots of head knowledge not truly enjoying life and looking down at people with less knowledge than them.