Sixty-five million. Thats the number of refugees in our world todaypeople who have had to leave their homes due to conflict and persecutionand its higher than its ever been. The UN has petitioned leaders to work together in receiving refugees so that every child will get an education, every adult will find meaningful work, and every family will have a home.
The dream of making homes for refugees in crisis reminds me of a promise God made to the nation of Judah when ruthless Assyrian armies threatened their homes. The Lord commissioned the prophet Micah to warn the people that they would lose their temple and their beloved city of Jerusalem. But God also promised a beautiful future beyond the loss.
A day will come, said Micah, when God will call the peoples of the world to Himself. Violence will end. Weapons of war will become farming tools, and every person who answers Gods call will find a peaceful home and a productive life in His kingdom (4:34).
For many in the world today, and maybe for you, a safe home remains more a dream than a reality. But we can rely on Gods ancient promise of a home for people of all nations, even as we wait and work and pray for those peaceful homes to become a reality.
Micah (whose name means Who is like Jehovah?) was a prophet for the Southern Kingdom of Judah. His ministry overlapped with that of the prophet Isaiah. Micah calls His people to reflect Gods heart when he says: Act justly . . . love mercy and . . . walk humbly with Him (6:8). Micah tells us that Gods heart delights to show mercy (7:18). And Micah prophesied, But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, . . . out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times (5:2).
This promise was realized in the person of Jesus. The timeless God has sent His Son to our rescueand Micah helped prepare people for His arrival. Bill Crowder