Scripture Focus: Micah 7.3-4, 18-20
3 Both hands are skilled in doing evil; 
the ruler demands gifts, 
the judge accepts bribes, 
the powerful dictate what they desire— 
they all conspire together. 
4 The best of them is like a brier, 
the most upright worse than a thorn hedge. 

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. 
19 You will again have compassion on us; 
you will tread our sins underfoot 
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. 
20 You will be faithful to Jacob, 
and show love to Abraham, 
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors 
in days long ago. 

Reflection: Equally Skilled Hands
By John Tillman

Micah’s concluding trio of poetic sections are tinged with lament because disaster and destruction are coming, but they all have a taste of hope. Micah sees beyond the deserved punishment in the present to the undeserved restoration in the future. The section that is heaviest with lament is the first. 

In most individuals, one hand is more skilled than the other. Scripture notes several times the left-handed and ambidextrous skills of Benjamite warriors. (Judges 3.15, 20.16; 1 Chronicles 12.1-2) Micah says both hands of his nation and their leaders are equally skilled at wickedness. The righteous have been swept away—like harvested fields, where only bare vines remain. The country sprouts with rulers, judges, and the wealthy and powerful, who are like briers or thorns. There is no grain, grapes, or figs, only grift, bribery, conspiracy, and betrayal. Yet, God is the focus of Micah’s hope.

The second section is a confession with confidence in restoration, spoken in the voice of Israel. “I have fallen,” Israel says, “but I will rise” because “the Lord will be my light.” There is darkness now, but light is coming. Micah warns Israel’s enemies not to gloat because one day, the Lord will remove Israel’s shame, and her enemies will face their own downfall.

The concluding psalm overflows with praise, fueled by God’s faithfulness. Based on God’s nature, not their worthiness, God’s flock will be cared for, guided, and blessed. The good shepherd will defend his flock and put an end to evil, crushing sin like a snake underfoot. Wickedness will drown in the depths and righteousness rise to the heights.

Micah looked around his world, nation, and city and saw chaos, corruption, and coming catastrophe. So might we. We may see left and right hands equally skilled in wickedness in our world, nations, and cities. Powerful rulers, judges, and leaders dictate what they desire, take bribes, and demand loyalty. Our neighbors, communities, and even family members may treat us like enemies.

Let us hope not in the left or right hands of leaders but in the nail-pierced hands of Christ. Jesus is the snake-crushing, lost sheep-seeking, wounded sheep-healing, banquet before our enemies-providing shepherd of our souls. (Psalm 23) His skilled hands hold healing, hope, justice, and peace. Let us take his hand and follow him, extending our other hand to the world. The only source of hope is in his hands.

Music: Jon Foreman – “Equally Skilled“

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
I will bear witness that the Lord is righteous; I will praise the Name of the lord Most High. — Psalm 7.18

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

​Today’s Readings
Micah 7 (Listen 3:36)
Psalm 88 (Listen 1:58)

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Scripture Focus: Micah 7.7-9
7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, 
I wait for God my Savior; 
my God will hear me. 
Israel Will Rise
8 Do not gloat over me, my enemy! 
Though I have fallen, I will rise. 
Though I sit in darkness, 
the Lord will be my light. 
9 Because I have sinned against him, 
I will bear the Lord’s wrath, 
until he pleads my case 
and upholds my cause. 
He will bring me out into the light; 
I will see his righteousness. 

Reflection: Admit the Dark — Hope of Advent
By John Tillman

In order to hope in the light, we first have to notice and confess that we live in the dark.

Micah, like his contemporary, Isaiah, acknowledges his own part of his country’s sin. (Isaiah 6.5) In our day, too many people are concerned about denying their part in group or national sins. 

“Well, I didn’t do that.” 
“That’s not my sin.” 
“I’m innocent of that.”

These types of protestations are rarely found in the mouths of God’s faithful prophets. Micah and Isaiah speak to condemn their culture, but they do not separate themselves from it by claiming innocence. In contrast, they dive in, confessing their complicity in the corruption that surrounded them.

After all, when the farmer selling grain is cheated by the baker who uses false weights, (Micah 6.10-11) does not the one who buys bread benefit? Doesn’t the one who buys a sandwich made from that bread benefit?

We cannot divorce ourselves from societal and cultural sins. When we live in systems connected to victimization of the poor, or in countries built by oppression, we have our part to confess in those sins. God promises to punish “unto the fourth generation” those who do evil in the land. (Deuteronomy 5.9-10; Numbers 14.18; Exodus 34.7; Psalm 79.8; 109.14) If you do the math in your own country’s history, there’s a lot of sin that we, rather than denying our guilt, should be confessing and seeking repentance from.

May we pray instead as Micah and Isaiah did, confessing our sins and the sins of our fathers and mothers. Instead of distancing ourselves from the guilt of these events, let us confess them to God and men and move toward repentance and reconciliation.

Let us admit that we have fallen, so that we may rise.
Let us confess that we sit in darkness, so that we may hope in the light.
Let us wait on Christ our Savior, watching in hope for him.
He will hear us. He will save us.
It is he who will plead our case.
It is he who will bear the Lord’s wrath.
It is he who will lead us out into the light of his righteousness.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
With my whole heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commandments. — Psalm 119.10

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle
Today’s Readings
Micah 7 (Listen – 3:36)
Luke 16 (Listen – 4:27)

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Read more about Abandoning Sinful Hopes :: Hope of Advent
Aren’t we in many ways waiting for the things they were waiting for? Revenge? Power? Worldly success?