Good day my brothers and sisters. Its sunny here in Luton. I have had my sons overnight and also got only about three hours sleep due to terrible cough. Or perhaps a better desription would be a persistant cough. This means I am unable to attend church this morning as I cant be coughing all the way through the service.
Although I wont be taking the boys to All Saints church, it does say in the bible that when two or more are gathered together in the name of God then he is with us. Joshua my eldest has gone to the shop for a second time to buy baked beans. First time he came back with two tins of chick peas. They can go in a cupboard for when I do a stew. Harry is grilling sausages and chips in the oven. Josh is back with the beans and Harry has told him,He has got his head up his arse. I am going to leave them to it and/nope; I was going to carry on with the blog but had to dish out the breakfast, eat my share and then wash up my plate and the cooking pan. Maybe as well I can get them both to join with me and the Holy Spirit in a church service here!
Todays bible reading comes from Micah 6:6-8 (NIV)
With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a years old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body tor the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
I love the frankness of this last instruction. If unsure as how to live life for God, here is how; act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God. It is up there with `love your neighbour as yourself` and `do unto others as you would have done unto you.`. These take a few moments to read, but a lifetime to perfect. Micah addresses Israel at a time when they are for from just, merciful or humble. In fact, they are a people whose `rich men are violent; her people are liars and their tongues speak deceitfully`(v. 12). He warns them of the justice to come and it is not news that he relishes giving.
(vv. 13-16)
God does not compromise. If we are to act justly, we need to be aware of the injustice that we accept in our daily lives right now. How do we perceive the state of extreme poverty that most of the world is living in? Is it simply a consequence of poor governance, overpopulation, and unlucky ticket in the climate lottery? Are our own comforts merely the rewards of good judgement and shrewd dealing or could it actually be a case of searing injustice on a global scale?
Whatever our view, Micah does not allow us room to consider meting out justice born of cold calculation-of the `you get what`s coming to you` variety. No. God requires us to obey him humbly by standing up against the injustices of poverty and deprivation in this world. We do this with a mercy that silences debate and steps straight out in love.
Prayer
Lord, help us to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with you.
Isobel Peaty
I gotta go now as the winkies are holding an uprising. TTFN your brother in Christ and of Budda and all the saints. Peter.
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