Micah 7:18 NIV
[18] Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
As you read Micah 7, you would think you were speaking about our current situation in the world. Evil seems to thrive, and men seem to have lost their fear of God. Men shed the blood of the innocent, without considering the repercussions. Bribes have become the norm and not the exception. Everywhere you turn, it seems man is seeking new, novel and terrible ways to push the boundaries of what God hates. However, it is clear from God's Word that this was also foretold, and with God, nothing catches Him by surprise. He has prescribed the punishment for sin since the days of Adam and Eve, and no explanation or excuse has been able to change the prescription. God noticed the evil of Micah's days, and He was now ready to apply the due punishment. God's mercy cannot be taken for granted. As He does not immediately punish, men think they can get away with anything. For all of us who know the standard of God, we are careful and deliberate about our actions and decisions.
Micah could say the words of today's verse above because he had experienced mercy and grace offered by God. If God were to mark iniquity, none of us would be alive on this side of eternity. God defined and prescribed the punishment for sin, but He also prescribed the solution to sin. He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin, so that man could make the approach to His throne of grace and ask for anything. He hates sin but loves the sinner unconditionally. He is the God who pardons us when we come to Him, contrite for our sin and willing to turn a new leaf and daily dependent on Him for help to live right. God does not stay angry forever; otherwise, the world would have known the depth of his anger at sin. As it is, His mercy remains in place as long as this version of earth remains in place. Whilst there is life in me, I must make sure that God's mercy leads me to salvation and the guarantee of eternal life. May my life be the visible expression of the mercy of God. God's time of favour is here.
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