Micah 4:1-5

Psalm 7          Micah 4:1-5          Revelation 15:1-8

                  The writers of the Old Testament often made reference to the promise of the anticipated   Messiah by using language in a way that everyone in their day understood very clearly. Today we might simply refer to ‘nine-eleven’ without any additional explanation needed. Everyone would understand.

The same is true for the words Micah used to open this section of Scripture. He said, “In the last days” and everyone knew that he was talking about the Messianic promise. He was thinking about a day when everything would be different. It would be a time when people would discover a new      understanding of hope. On that day there would be a fresh spirit of worship. It would be so radical that even entire nations would begin to relate to each other in some novel and unexpected ways. They would train for war no more. They would have their own vine and their own fig tree to sustain them.  And no one would live in fear.

On that beautiful and transforming day the people could ‘walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.’ We would add, AMEN! We add a hearty Amen for the prayer of the ancient people of Micah’s day. But we also add a prayerful Amen for our own lives and our own times.

Advent is about waiting. It is about getting ready. It is about a heart that is filled with              anticipation that stems from a wonderful and powerful spirit of expectation. Embedded in the depth of our prayer is our desire for the transformation of the world that will come on that day of the Lord.

Lord Jesus, come, fill us!  Lord Jesus, start here!