Micah 7:10
10 Then my enemy will see it
and will be covered with shame,
she who said to me,
‘Where is the Lord your God?’
My eyes will see her downfall;
even now she will be trampled underfoot
like mire in the streets.
“Where is the Lord your God?” It’s a common question. Even when it isn’t asked in quite those words, it lies behind many of the things people say to us. “How can there be a God when?” or “I could never believe in a God who ….” In other words, they’re looking at the way life is and deciding that they can’t see how God fits into it, so they conclude that he is not there at all.
Thinking that God really is there, staking our lives and our choices on the belief that he is both real and relevant, makes us stand out. We’re so used to it that we often expect everyone else to mock or question our faith, even before they’ve said a word. We might even feel a bit ashamed of always being the ones who are out-of-sync with society. But these verses remind us that there will be a day when the shame falls on those who mock us now. Right now, it is possible to question God’s presence; he is only visible with the eyes of faith. But one day every eye will see him. His presence will be unmistakable and inescapable.
If you find the second half of the verse uncomfortable - so do I! I don’t like to think of unbelievers being trampled underfoot. But I think that’s because I don’t care as much for God’s honour as I should. I underestimate the seriousness of the sin of those who are outwardly respectable and simply ignore God or treat him as irrelevant. It doesn’t look like the worst kind of wickedness that exists in our world. And I’m shaped by the spirit of independence and self-sufficiency that flourishes in our individualistic culture. I forget that we owe God our very lives. Every breath each of us takes is only possible because of his provision. To live as if he wasn’t there, without acknowledging his rightful rule or being grateful for his abundant good gifts is an outrageous offence against the one who deserves all praise and honour and worship. So let’s pray today that God would help us to worship him more as he deserves, and that he would change the hearts of his enemies so that they would do the same.
