Today's Scripture:

Micah 5:1-5 Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod. “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses. We will raise against them seven shepherds, even eight commanders,

Read: Reflect on a story in your life that pertains to this scripture.
This scripture is telling me that God has a plan, and that plan will come to pass. Things that are predicted in the Bible will happen-they will happen on God’s time. We should take comfort and confidence in seeing the Old Testament prophecies come true in the New Testament. We should be assured when we read Micah 5:4-5 where he states that Christ will shepherd His flock, and they will live securely, and He will be their peace. Let’s live securely in the peace of Christ. Sounds good doesn’t it?

Reflect: What is this scripture telling you during this season?
In 700 BC the minor prophet Micah tells the Israelites of God’s displeasure with their behavior which includes idolatry, dishonesty, and corruption that oppresses the poor. He predicts God’s wrath on the Israelites that includes the fall of Jerusalem and Samaria. In Micah 5:2 he gives a very clear prophesy of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem and later tells the people that God will honor every covenant that He has made with His people. It all plays out just as Micah said it would. My dentist is no prophet, but she does take good care of me and my teeth. On a routine visit she noted that I had some decay in a tooth at the gum line. She said if we did not act, it could get infected and there would be pain and swelling. She suggested an extraction and an implant. All of this was very involved and expensive. My thought was that this tooth has given me no problems for the 60 plus years that I have had it. I will take my chances. A few months later, on an Advent Sunday morning I awoke with a cheek swollen like a balloon and a head/tooth throbbing in pain. It all played out just as she said it would. I now have an implant.

Respond: How is this scripture calling you to respond?
We do not have to look far ahead in Micah for a required response to this scripture. He does it for us in Micah 6:8, where he tells the Israelites what is required of them to please the Lord is to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God. Let’s do it!

About Doug Lunn:
I am married with two grown children and four grandchildren. I work as a geologist at W&T Offshore.
My wife Debbie and I have been at Grace for 42 years. We currently teach second and third grade Sunday School.