He had a home and family and silver and nice little idols and a priest for his religion. Now what more could a person want? Yes, he had a little sin in his past life, a little stealing from his mother. However, his mother had forgiven him, and that settled the matter.
Does forgiveness from a man or woman really settle the matter of sin? If you think so, you have never faced the God who made you, and you haven’t read His book, the Bible. Sin is against God, and only God can forgive. Mark 2:7 says, “Who can forgive sins but God only?”
Micah had a lot going for him, but somehow way down inside was something called “fear.” Do you think it might have been because of his sins? Do you have fear down inside because of your sins?
Then came a day when some men came to Micah’s house while he was away, and they heard the voice of his priest talking. Good, they said. We recognize that voice ... it’s Micah’s priest. Let’s make him an offer. It was a good offer, because there were six hundred soldiers waiting at the gate looking for a place to settle. So they offered Micah’s priest a better job than he had—more money and more honor. He agreed, and away they all went, taking Micah’s priest and Micah’s idols and whatever else they wanted.
Micah soon heard about this, and his neighbors shared his concern. Follow them and get your stuff back! they said. So a group got together and followed them. Soon the six hundred soldiers looked back and saw this little group following them.
What’s the trouble? they called.
Trouble? said Micah. You’ve taken my idols and my priest, and what’s left? And now you are asking, What’s the trouble?
Can you imagine how Micah felt? How would you feel if someone took away your idols and your priest? What would you have left?
If you are a true Christian, you should not have idols, because you have the true God. And if your Priest is the Lord Jesus, our great High Priest, no one can take Him from you. If someone were to rob you of everything you own, you are still richer than the thief! We would certainly feel terribly upset and even angry, but our hearts could never say, “What is there left?” Our Jesus is forever! He cares when we are hurting and upset, but He lovingly assures us, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:10). That’s His promise. If we had our hearts set on riches, perhaps He wants us to see that no one can take away our Saviour. Whatever we lose, we can never lose Jesus, because He can’t lose even one of us!
Maybe, like Micah’s priest, you are looking for the best job, the most pay and the most honor. You will certainly find all this in our Saviour, but not on this earth. “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7), and this means believing what we cannot see.
After His crucifixion, the disciples saw Jesus go up as far as the cloud, but after that they did not see Him anymore. However, they heard the angel’s promise that He would come again. And they had heard the Lord’s own promise, “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). By faith we are absolutely sure that this is true.
What do you have that you can’t lose? Will you have our wonderful Saviour today and the gift of salvation that He is offering you? The debt we owe for our sins is already paid, now and forever!
You may read this story about Micah in Judges 18:1-26.
MEMORY VERSE: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee.” Isaiah 41:10
ML-04/08/2012