Greetings in the name of Christ! May the grace and peace of God be with you all!
“Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God”.
These are the simple instructions of the Old Testament prophet Micah, which are deeply significant for us and for the world today.
“Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God”.
Micah is a prophet for tumultuous times. As a prophet, Micah was never a member of the ‘establishment’ but was courageous enough to speak truth to power.
Micah names God’s purposes for peace, hope and inclusion across the nations.
At Christmas, we remember that it is Micah who draws attention to the relatively small town of Bethlehem, off to the side of Jerusalem, as the birthplace of a new leader whom he names as ‘the one of peace’.
In the time of Micah, world events are looking shattering, and the violence of oppressive powers, overwhelming.
Into that time, into our time, Micah proclaims the word of God: what is good, and what God asks of us in this time.
And what does God ask, but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.
The world needs people who will act for justice, standing against violence and exploitation, and seeking security and peace for all.
The world needs people who love kindness, not belittling others, showing care for our neighbours, for community, for all of creation.
And in this, we are called to walk humbly with God.
We see God in the life of Jesus, in his compassion teaching and healing; in his faithful love and mercy, unwavering even in the face of the cross, and through the cross and resurrection into the embrace of God’s kingdom.
We see how Jesus walks with the God he calls Abba, Father; how he does not take God’s name in vain to threaten war, but shows God’s love and hope for humanity.
Jesus’ life demonstrates doing justice loving kindness, and walking humbly with God.
This Christmas, we celebrate the birth of ‘the one of peace’.
How might we respond to the way God comes to us, and to God’s purposes for hope, peace and inclusion across the nations?
Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.
And God’s blessings and peace be with you
Rev David Fotheringham
Moderator
The video of the Moderator’s Christmas message can be found here