Hope for the future?

 
The prophet Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah, lived in Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel. He was convinced Judah would face the same kind of national catastrophe Amos had predicted for the northern kingdom, for the same reasons, including the injustice of the people. Micah’s message has hope for the future by contrast with Amos’s dire warnings about approaching disasters.

Micah said “What God requires of us is to do what is just, showing constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God” (Micah 6 v 8). This can stabilize our lives and relationships in chaotic times.

News media gives bad news about worsening, coming chaos we have no control over. It is pointless worrying about situations we have no control over but which control our lives. Micah’s words give us anchor points we can lock onto.

‘Doing what is just’ is hard in highly competitive business environments. Especially if your competitors exaggerate, tell half-truths and lies about their services and products. Telling the truth may feel like a disadvantage to you. We need to support honest, decent businesses because we can depend on them.

‘Showing constant love’ is one of the hallmarks of every successful Christian community. At HTR we believe God has called us to be “A church with an open door, reaching out with God’s love and power, helping one another live for Jesus”. This is our calling as a church and we want to continue to live this out in these chaotic times.

O God, you inspire the hearts of the faithful with a single longing,
grant your people to love what you command and to desire what you promise,
so that in all the changes and chances of this uncertain world,
our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen