Sunday Service - Sep 1951 / 5 Sep 1962

Micah was a prophet who prophesied during the latter part of the 8 th century BC before the fall of Jerusalem. He was a contemporary of Isaiah. He is a prophet of whom very little notice is usually taken. Yet it has been given to few men to say so memorable a thing, as when he put beautifully, in short simple words, the whole rule of righteousness: “What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God.” The sentence unites men of all creeds in a common aspiration. People of Micah’s time believed as some even today believe, that what God expected of man was the performance of certain religious rites and duties with meticulous care. It was necessary for Micah to tell the people that what God expected of man was righteous living - to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. I want to share with you this morning some thoughts on the last of the requirements: ‘walk humbly with thy God’ i.e. ‘walk humbly along with God, in the company of God’ The apostle Peter in his First Epistle speaks about humbling ourselves before God, confessing our sins, looking up to Him with awe, remembering that we are dust. That is a true thought, but that is not Micah’s meaning here. What Micah says is, that we should walk humbly along with God. What is in his mind is not reverence, but companionship, as it is said in Genesis that Enoch walked with God. The reference in Micah is not to the humble heart, but to the humble life. Micah shows men how they may travel the road of life – how they may travel in the company of God. How may we walk humbly with God? How may we be sure of the companionship of God as we travel along the road of life? I want to suggest one answer for our consideration this morning. We must humble ourselves and must undertake the kind of work in which God is engaged. One of the characteristics of God which has made an impression on his devotees, throughout all ages, is his great humility. In another place, “Who is like unto the Lord our God, that hath his seat on high, that humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth.” God is love and love is not proud but humble. He is the patient, tireless servant of His creation. Jesus revealed the heart of God even when He said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart.” God works in a quiet way. He is engaged in activities which are inconspicuous, and which do not attract attention. “He makes the grass to grow upon the mountains,” says the Psalmist, and in that utterance he has expressed a great truth. Grass growing on the mountain tops makes no impression on people. God’s work in the world is always like that, quiet and unostentatious. We would like to be engaged in work which will catch the public eye, win the applause of people, work which will yield quick results. On the other hand, God works quietly, and patiently. He uses small things and gentle ways and slow processes, and so must the humble man.

All that concerns the care and training of children, whether it is in the home or in the school, is humble work. Consider the labour of love which the mother undertakes in the home day after day. It is no doubt a drudgery, yet it is full of joy. Is not the work of the mother like the work the Heavenly Father is constantly doing for all his children? Consider the work of the teacher in the classroom. Is there any work in which any man or woman can have a true sense of being close to God? Does any work demand more self-surrender and more humility of mind than the teaching of the young? The work of the teacher is laborious and inconspicuous. It does not catch the eye of the public. Perhaps it does not receive the recognition it deserves from the people. Even the remuneration may not be adequate considering the responsibility put on the teacher. Yet, if we would choose such work and find pleasure and pride in it, and in spite of weariness do it with good will and fidelity, it is a sure way of keeping near to God. We have before us the noble examples of men and women, who in every generation have turned their backs on fame and fortune, and the gracious amenities of life, and have been happy to spend their years in bringing the knowledge of Christ to remote places, and unenlightened races. By the world’s standards their careers were humble, but they were not lonely. They walked with God. The sacrifices we have been called upon to make, if there be any in the work we have undertaken, is nothing when compared to what others have made. The point of Micah’s word is this: not that you should have humble feelings, but that you should do and go on doing humble things. It may mean putting away pride and ambition and foregoing luxury and leisure, but it will not mean loneliness. It will take us into the company of God. As we begin our new term let us come to our work with a fresh outlook and a new attitude. We are called upon to do the kind of work where God is engaged all the time. It is humble work, but it is one which will bring us into close companionship with God, if we keep in mind all the time that we are co-workers with God. Let us therefore dedicate ourselves afresh this morning and pray that we may show forth in our work the patience, the humility, and the love which God is showing in his dealings with us all the time.