- Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance?He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. Micah 7:18 – What is something you delight in that maybe for others they just can’t understand why you’d find enjoyment in it? For some gardening is a joy, but to others it’s a chore. For some reading a book by the fire is a dream, for others it’s a drag. Like for me, I know many people love watching sports on TV, but I just can’t get into it, and I’m bored out of my mind! In our passage though we see what God delights in. He delights in showing His love to us. Again think about that something that you just delight in doing and the fill it gives you when you get to do it. That same fill and more is what God has when He gets to show us His love. God delights in forgiving sin and God delights in turning His anger away. God does not find joy in punishing sin or having to provide harsh correction over our wayward lives, though He will do such things. What God delights in is blessing those who faithfully follow Him. Looking then at your life lately, would you say you’ve been living in such a way that allows God to do what He delights to do or is it causing God to do what He finds no delight in? Meaning has your life been one that God can bless because of your faithfulness or has your life been one that God has to correct because of unfaithfulness? For God delights in showing mercy and love to us, but He will show correction and even wrath on those that refuse Him. Give God a life today that gives Him the opportunity to do what He delights in doing. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3309
- Put no trust in a neighbor; have no confidence in a friend; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms; for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house. But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. (v.5-7) I wouldn’t take this passage as one that advises you to disconnect from the people around you, breaking the ties of trust and support that you’ve created. Allow this passage to be a helpful encouragement that shows you where you can place your trust even when those other relationships fall short. God is all about us creating strong relationships with people, but fact is, no relationship within our lives will ever be able to support us completely and never fail us except for the relationship we find with our Heavenly Father. Friends will fail us, family will too, but our God never will. So while building trust and love within these other relationships is strongly encouraged by God, be sure the one you’re pouring the most time into and relying on the most is the relationship you have with God. Having this order of your relationships will actually grow all the other ones as well. When we don’t expect our spouse, parents, kids, etc. to be our everything, we give them room to make mistakes without us, and our relationship with them, crumbling. Pour into every relationship, just be sure the one you’re giving the most to is the one that has given the most to you. – Daily DEVO 71
- He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:19 – We see a side of God here that I believe many of us need to see. That God isn’t a God who wants to punish us. Yes, God is much more serious about sin than we are and will be just in the handling of sin, but His heart is compassion and forgiveness. Remember Hell was never meant for people and sin was never meant to be a part of life. God’s desire is peace, love, and togetherness with Him and that’s what He sent Jesus to restore. God’s isn’t going to just be cool with you as a follower of His continuing in sin and He will take hold of your attention in ways that may seem unpleasant. Always remember though it’s not because God delights in seeing you punished, it’s because He’s knows what sin brings and wants you as far away from that as possible. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 668
- I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication. Micah 7:9 – As with the other minor prophets, Micah has the task of bringing to light the wrongs of God’s people and helping them see their deep need for repentance. What’s happening within this verse though is Micah is including himself in this need for repentance. He understands he too has sinned and he too will have his wrong brought out into the light. As we seek to preach the message of salvation and repentance to a lost world, remember repentance is still something that must be taking place in our story to. When we sin God is still looking from us a turning away from that sin and a turning back to Him. Yes, be preaching this message to others but be also preaching it to yourself. The sin in our story is something to be repented from and it will be brought into the light if we don’t bring to Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2099
Daily DEVO 