“Shepherd Your people with Your staff, the flock of Your heritage, who dwell solitarily in a woodland, in the midst of Carmel; let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in days of old. 15 “As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them wonders.” 16 The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; they shall put their hand over their mouth; their ears shall be deaf. 17 They shall lick the dust like a serpent; they shall crawl from their holes like snakes of the earth. They shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of You. 18 Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. 19 He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. 20 You will give truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old.” Micah 7:14-20 NKJV
Good Shepherd,
In closing Micah pleads that You, God, will Shepherd Your flock with Your staff. In some translations the staff is a sceptre, a kingly term. Did Micah long for the Messiah to come, the son of David to rule? (Genesis 49:10). During Micah’s time there was unrest, they were surrounded by enemy nations and so he prayed that they would not be solitary in woodland – but safe out in the open and able to graze safely. And they would see wonders from You God. He reinforces the truth that You are a God who is angry at injustice and sin. But a pardoning God who delights in mercy. Who takes our sin away and always speaks the truth.
Surely, truly, this is a God we can trust, not only by his words but His actions. We cannot neglect dealing sin and rebellion. It has to be admitted and offered to You, God in order to be free of it and have room for Your mercy and grace. And Lord when the enemy reminds me of some shame, sin, embarrassment or mistake – I remember that You forgive me, not just once a week at communion, not just when I say the Lord’s prayer – but every single moment.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Monday 15th June 2026
Wow, found this hymn written in 1893! The story of the hymn is below the lyrics.
Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine;
Living with Jesus, a new life divine;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am thine.
Moment by moment I’m kept in his love;
Moment by moment I’ve life from above;
Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;
Moment by moment, O Lord, I am thine.
Never a trial that he is not there,
Never a burden that he doth not bear,
Never a sorrow that he doth not share,
Moment by moment, I’m under his care.
Chorus
Never a weakness that he doth not feel,
Never a sickness that he cannot heal;
Moment by moment, in woe or in weal,
Jesus, my Savior, abides with me still.
Chorus
Lyrics: Daniel Webster Whittle.
Ira D Sankey wrote, while I was attending the World’s Fair, in Chicago, Henry Varley, a lay preacher from London, said to Major Whittle: “I do not like the hymn ‘I need Thee every hour’ very well, because I need Him every moment of the day.” Soon after Major D W Whittle wrote the sweet hymn, Moment by moment.
Mr. Whittle brought the hymn to me in manuscript a little later, saying that he would give me the copyright of both the words and music if I would print for him five hundred copies on fine paper, for distributing among his friends. His daughter, May Whittle, who later became the wife of Will R. Moody, composed the music. I did as Mr. Whittle wished; and I sent the hymn to England, where it was copyrighted on the same day as at Washington.
In England the hymn became very popular. Falling into the hands of the well-known Rev. Andrew Murray, of South Africa, then visiting London, he adopted it as his favorite hymn. A year later Mr. Murray visited Northfield England, and while holding a meeting for men in the church he remarked: “If Sankey only knew a hymn which I found in London, and would sing it, he would find that it embraces my entire creed.” I was very anxious to know what hymn it was, and when he had recited it I said to him: “Doctor, that hymn was written within five hundred yards of where we are standing.”