What Misery is Mine!

What misery is mine! The godly have been swept from the land.  All men lie in wait to shed blood, each hunts his brother with a net.  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.  Do not trust your neighbor, put no confidence in a friend.  Even with her who lies in your embrace, be careful of your words.  For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law….a man’s enemies are the member of his own household.  But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.  (from Micah 7:1-7 with a few phrases not included)

When I read this last night, I couldn’t help but think that it describes the current time.  I am sure there have been prior periods in history for which this was true, but it certainly fits the pattern today.

What is the righteous person, such as Micah, to do when the fabric of government and social structure is shredded?  Not ALL people are behaving in the evil manner described, but there is certainly way too much of it.  So many are out for their own gain, at the expense of anyone else and at the expense of ethics and values.

Daily there are reports of leaders taking bribes or engaging in other unethical conduct.  Politicians resign their posts as their misdeeds are exposed.  Actors and other celebrities are revealed to be sexual predators.  Family members fight over inheritance.  This sometimes results not only in broken relationships, but in the taking of a life.   

These problems are so pervasive that it seems unending.  It isn’t possible to root out all the evil.  Yesterday on a plane, I read a copy of an Indian newspaper.  The nature of man is the same on both sides of the globe.  Some of the crimes described and evils discussed were exactly what I have read in papers in the US.  I was especially saddened by an evil perpetrated against a child, which I read about in the Indian paper and have, in the past, read of the same horror being inflicted on a child in the US.

Later in Micah 7, the text says, “The earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants, as the result of their deeds.”  Not a very promising future for mankind!  Whether it will happen because of failure to care for the environment, or because of war, or a punishing act of God, I don’t know.  But Micah is claiming it will happen one way or another as a result of our deeds.

There is only one source of hope.  The book of Micah ends with this promise: “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.  You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”

However, this follows the earlier statement, “they come trembling out of their dens; they will turn in fear to the Lord our God.”  God is merciful, but we cannot keep on in the present course.  We need to acknowledge the sin we as a people have engaged in, and with trembling ask for forgiveness and mercy.  There are better days ahead, but not without the experience of the described desolation forcing mankind to its knees individually and collectively.