14 O Lord, protect your people with your shepherd’s staff; lead your flock, your special possession. Though they live alone in a thicket on the heights of Mount Carmel, let them graze in the fertile pastures of Bashan and Gilead as they did long ago. 15 “Yes,” says the Lord,“I will do mighty miracles for you, like those I did when I rescued you from slavery in Egypt.”

16 All the nations of the world will stand amazed at what the Lord will do for you. They will be embarrassed at their feeble power. They will cover their mouths in silent awe, deaf to everything around them. 17 Like snakes crawling from their holes, they will come out to meet the Lord our God. They will fear him greatly, trembling in terror at his presence.

18 Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. 19 Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean! 20 You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago. Micah 7:14-20 New Living Translation

One sometimes meets a person who has carried a grudge for many years, and who says they will never forgive another person who had done them a wrong. The good news of the Bible is that God is not like that! Look at vs 18 again. That's what God is like.

We've seen in this book how Micah was sent by God with a terrible message that Israel had exhausted God's patience by their continual disobedience and unwillingness to change, and so He was going to discipline them through an enemy army who would destroy their cities and take many of them into exile. But Micah knew what God was like and so, in vs 14, he prays that God would once again be a Shepherd to Israel and bring them to pleasant pastures. Considering how wicked Israel had been God could have said no. But what does God say in vs 15?

What a wonderful response to Micah's prayer. Micah realised it meant God would do a mighty miracle of bringing back those who had survived the war, and the children who were born to them during the years of exile. The work was going to be so amazing that other nations would be astounded, and those who had mocked when the Jews went into exile would be humbled and afraid. (vs 16-17)

All of this led to Micah's words in vs 18. What is it in that verse about God that makes Him so special, and sets Him apart from any other God people have worshipped?

What does God do with our sins when we've been humbled and we confess and repent of them? (vs 19)

What does this show us about God's character and His love? (vs 20)

So if God is a God who pardons guilty sinners, who shows compassion, and who loves with a love that never fails – would it be safe to trust the famous promise we read in John 3:16 which says: “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ? And the next verse adds  “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

Perhaps you may think, “yes I believe that, but will He forgive me if I sin again - and still again?” The disciple Peter once asked Jesus “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” Jesus replied, “No, not seven times, but seventy times seven!” (Matthew 18:21-22) That wasn't a free pass to live as we like – but it was a reminder that God's mercy is great. He does not stay angry forever. He welcomes the prodigal son or daughter who return to Him