The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Micah 4:5,
"All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever."
Micah and those with him made their choice - they chose to "walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever." It mattered not what others did. They made their choice.
The ability to choose is rooted in the freedom to do so and expresses much more loudly than any other means what is important to us. We can say we love God... but is that reflected in the choices we make?
Micah observes the freedom people have to choose that which is anathema to God, "Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning's light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it." Micah 2:1. We all have the ability to choose the Lord, as Micah did, or reject him, as do those who plan iniquity.
Jesus spoke to Nicodemus of this when he explained why some reject him. He said, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." John 3:19-21. Again, we all make our choices.
As Joshua challenged his countrymen, "If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15.
"All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever."
Micah and those with him made their choice - they chose to "walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever." It mattered not what others did. They made their choice.
The ability to choose is rooted in the freedom to do so and expresses much more loudly than any other means what is important to us. We can say we love God... but is that reflected in the choices we make?
Micah observes the freedom people have to choose that which is anathema to God, "Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning's light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it." Micah 2:1. We all have the ability to choose the Lord, as Micah did, or reject him, as do those who plan iniquity.
Jesus spoke to Nicodemus of this when he explained why some reject him. He said, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." John 3:19-21. Again, we all make our choices.
As Joshua challenged his countrymen, "If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15.
Astonishing anyone would not choose the Lord! Who, in their right mind, would turn down eternal life? Who, in their right mind, would turn down eternal pleasures at the right hand of God, Psalm 16:11? Who, in their right mind, would turn down God's inheritance that he has for all those who choose him? Who, in their right mind, would turn down a place in God's family, a place at his table? Who, in their right mind, would choose a fiery lake of burning sulfur over all of the wonderful things our Creator has for those who choose him?
As Jesus told Nicodemus: some simply hate the light and prefer to remain in their sin. What a horrible choice!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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