Daily Devotions
But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD: they do not understand His plan. Micah 4:12
“That knife couldn’t cut hot butter.” Frustration at trying to cut something with a dull blade. “You don’t catch on to anything I’m saying.” Frustration of a teacher with a dull student. Dull means ineffective and slow.
Micah describes the spiritual dullness of nations gathered against Israel: “But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD; they do not understand His plan.” These people may have been powerful and clever, much to be feared, but spiritually they could neither cut hot butter nor catch on to the simplest teaching. Therefore, as Micah prophesies, they will be broken to pieces (see Micah 4:13).
Do we have a problem with spiritual dullness? “Called … out of darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9), we nevertheless at times fail to understand and live effective lives in relation to God’s plan for us. Why? Our sinful flesh rebels against God. Micah promised a new day for Judah after the Babylonian captivity and a ruler to come out of Bethlehem, One who would “shepherd His flock” (Micah 5:4). That ruler, Jesus, has come to be our Light in darkness, to replace our spiritual dullness with bright understanding and keen-edged living. We turn to His Word for illumination. As a result we know His thoughts, understand His plan, and live joyfully each day. Thank God for His Son, who carried out the Father’s plan on Calvary and lives in our hearts forever.
PRAYER: Thank You, Lord God, for Your gift of Jesus to die for my sins and rise again so that I may live with You eternally. Amen.
(Devotions from “My Daily Devotion” by Dr. Stephen J. Carter, copyright 1988 CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time emailing of this link to a friend. For ordering information, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit www.cph.org.)