Micah 2:1-4 (ESV)

[1] Woe to those who devise wickedness

and work evil on their beds!

When the morning dawns, they perform it,

because it is in the power of their hand.

[2] They covet fields and seize them,

and houses, and take them away;

they oppress a man and his house,

a man and his inheritance.

[3] Therefore thus says the LORD:

behold, against this family I am devising disaster,

from which you cannot remove your necks,

and you shall not walk haughtily,

for it will be a time of disaster.

[4] In that day they shall take up a taunt song against you

and moan bitterly,

and say, “We are utterly ruined;

he changes the portion of my people;

how he removes it from me!

To an apostate he allots our fields.”

Micah is warning the People of God that they cannot continue with their selfish, oppressive behavior without facing God’s judgment. They have begun to justify bad behavior, oppressing those less fortunate, and preaching a religion of self-satisfaction and indulgence. Their wealth is assumed to be an indication of God’s pleasure with them. Any word of coming judgment is rejected. “One should not preach such things. Disgrace will not overtake us” (Mic 2:6) they say. Instead they preach abundance and self-indulgence, “wine and strong drink” (Mic 2:11).

Let’s be honest, we read that and wonder how anyone could preach such things. But that is because we read it looking back through history. The truth is that we are often preaching much the same thing. Whether we are talking about a Health and Wealth Gospel, or just a God Wants You to Feel Good Gospel, we are too often more concerned about stroking our ego and and assuaging our guilt than in actually listening to God. We embrace our gods of comfort and ease, while talking about faith.  

Few of us in the wealthy west have learned to walk by faith. Even the poorest of believers in the western hemisphere make most of the world look impoverished. We develop gods of ease, comfort, and self-indulgence and don’t even realize it. I was reminded of this a couple days ago when I had a poor cell phone signal and couldn’t find directions to the closest Walmart. I got frustrated and irritated, and was ready to throw my phone out the window. Really!? I am that dependent on technology that a poor cell signal undermines my sanctification? Wow! How dependent we are on our gods of ease, comfort, and self-indulgence.

The really sad thing is that we too often fail to recognize it, confess it, and let go of those gods. We would rather redefine God as a god of ease and comfort. When things go wrong we blame God. When conflicts occur we are ready to walk away from God’s people. When troubles arise we are ready to walk away from God. Why are we so fickle? Because we have come to serve the gods of ease, comfort, and self-indulgence, not the God of all creation. Father, forgive us. Open our eyes to our lack of faith before it is too late.