Bible League: Living His Word But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. — Micah 7:7 NIV Welcome to the new year! If when you awake, the world looks like it's crumbling around you, in whom will you place your confidence? That was Micah's plight as he watched the national deterioration of both the northern and southern kingdoms of God's people. Take a moment to read the first seven verses of this chapter. Note the poetic observations Micah makes as societal structures around him rapidly stagnate into whole communities of unrighteousness. Divisiveness among people ran rampant: "Everyone lies in wait to shed blood; they hunt each other with nets." (vs 2). Institutional corruption ran amok: "the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire—they all conspire together" (vs 3). Indeed, we can begin to understand why the prophet exasperatingly began this assessment of the nations with the cry that: "The faithful have been swept from the land" (vs 2). When the larger framework of society begins to break down, we can easily believe that that will also negatively impact the very foundation of society, the family. Micah warns his readers to be aware of the distrust, dishonor, and disunity that has the full potential to arise within every family relationship (vs 5-6). Sadly, what happens in society at large does impact what takes place in the home. The demise of the nations that happened nearly 2700 years ago could very easily mirror front-page news in any one of our newspapers today! "But"—a significant word of contrast begins our verse for today. If our concentration is focused only on that which is at "eye level" this year, we may be continually disappointed with what we see happening throughout the world. But, if we take a cue from Micah and "watch in hope for the Lord" with eager anticipation, look up to see God revealed in the Word above all of the broken circumstances surrounding us, then we can begin to understand something about how He, through Jesus, is bringing "unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ" (Ephesians 1:10). Perhaps, for this year, we all need to look a little less at the 24/7 news cycle and spend more time meditating on Scripture that continually reveals the love God uses to transform both us and the world in which we live. No doubt, we may indeed have a happier New Year! By Dr. Bill Niblette, Bible League International staff, Pennsylvania U.S. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingGenesis 1, 2 Genesis 1 -- God creates heaven, earth, plants, animals and man NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Genesis 2 -- Adam and Eve's Beginning in the garden of Eden NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Matthew 1 Matthew 1 -- The Genealogy, Conception and Birth of Jesus NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion I am worn out from sobbing.All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears. Insight Pouring out his heart with tears, David was completely honest with God. We can be honest with God even when we are filled with anger or despair because God knows us thoroughly and wants the very best for us. Anger may result in rash outward acts or turning inward toward depression. But because we trust in our all-powerful God, we don't have to be victims of circumstance or be weighted down by the guilt of sin. Challenge Be honest with God, and he will help you turn your attention from yourself to him and his mercy. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Songs 1:4 We will be glad and rejoice in thee.We will be glad and rejoice in thee. We will not open the gates of the year to the dolorous notes of the sackbut, but to the sweet strains of the harp of joy, and the high sounding cymbals of gladness. "O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise unto the rock of our salvation." We, the called and faithful and chosen, we will drive away our griefs, and set up our banners of confidence in the name of God. Let others lament over their troubles, we who have the sweetening tree to cast into Marah's bitter pool, with joy will magnify the Lord. Eternal Spirit, our effectual Comforter, we who are the temples in which thou dwellest, will never cease from adoring and blessing the name of Jesus. We will, we are resolved about it, Jesus must have the crown of our heart's delight; we will not dishonor our Bridegroom by mourning in his presence. We are ordained to be the minstrels of the skies, let us rehearse our everlasting anthem before we sing it in the halls of the New Jerusalem. We will be glad and rejoice: two words with one sense, double joy, blessedness upon blessedness. Need there be any limit to our rejoicing in the Lord even now? Do not men of grace find their Lord to be camphire and spikenard, calamus and cinnamon even now, and what better fragrance have they in heaven itself? We will be glad and rejoice in Thee . That last word is the meat in the dish, the kernel of the nut, the soul of the text. What heavens are laid up in Jesus! What rivers of infinite bliss have their source, aye, and every drop of their fulness in him! Since, O sweet Lord Jesus, thou art the present portion of thy people, favor us this year with such a sense of thy preciousness, that from its first to its last day we may be glad and rejoice in thee. Let January open with joy in the Lord, and December close with gladness in Jesus. Daily Light on the Daily Path Deuteronomy 31:8 "The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."Exodus 33:15 Then he said to Him, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. Jeremiah 10:23 I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself, Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. Psalm 37:23,24 The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way. • When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. Psalm 73:23,24 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. • With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. Romans 8:38,39 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, • nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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