FOR NOW, You Must Leave…

Micah 4:10
Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion,
like a woman in labor,
FOR NOW you must leave the city
to camp in the open field.
You will go to Babylon;
there you will be rescued.
There the LORD will redeem you
out of the hand of your enemies.

Micah the prophet preached to the people of Israel before they were taken into captivity because of their sins. Micah warned Israelites that sin will cost them a great deal. It is still true that sins cost a great deal to even the people of our time today. The sooner you get rid of sin in your life the better for you.

In our text today, Micah speaks on behalf of God. He tells Israel, particularly the Southern Kingdom of Judah, also known as Zion or Daughter of Zion, that for now, they will suffer the consequences of sin. For now, they will be in agony. For now, their children will be killed. For now, their property was looted and destroyed. For now, they will be enslaved.

The prophet tells Israel some bitter truth with a dosage of hope. He tells them what will happen now and what will happen later on. For now, they will go to Babylon as slaves. But in the future, God will rescue them from Babylon. God will redeem them from their enemies. God will set them free from slavery. God will give them victory over their enemies. That is in the future.

As we wait for that great future what happens now? As we anticipate that glorious future of victory what do we do now? Micah has some bitter truth but it is from God. Micah says, for now, it won’t be fun. For now, it’s pain and tears. For now, you will writhe in agony. For now, you will be humiliated before your enemies. The good news is that it is only, for now!

God has good plans for us, but between now and when those plans come to pass, there is a now. For now, we must be lonely. For now, the enemy rubbishes our faith. For now, we go without basic necessities. For now, we face rejection. For now, we feel abandoned. For now, no one seems to care about us. For now, we are sickly. For now, we are at the bottom of the class of people in this community and society. For now, we are the minority who have no say. For now, we are the poorest performers. For now, we are accused falsely without an opportunity to defend ourselves. For now, the enemy remains to be the winner. For now, truth is crashed on earth as lie reigns. For now, the enemy of God’s people feels invincible. The good news is that it is only, for now!

For now, it seems witchcraft is working. For now, those who use dishonest methods seem to succeed. For now, it is a great disadvantage to be faithful. For now, we must be silent like those without opinions. For now, we have been pushed to the wall. For now, we must leave in poverty. For now, we must attend schools we don’t like. For now, we must beg and be dependent on arrogant relatives and merciless strangers. For now, we must live under the overwhelming burden of debt. For now, everything that can go wrong will go wrong. The good news is that it is only, for now!

For now, there is a shame. For now, there is an embarrassment. For now, we wonder where to hide as we can’t handle what has happened to us. The good news is that it is only, for now!

Dear God, keep us firm and faithful to You for now. Help us endure for now. Then usher us into that excellent and glorious future you have prepared for us. May that future come soon, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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