In Micah 2 he begins rebuking the men of both kingdoms: “Woe to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light, they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.”
Of course, God hates it because here are His chosen people-the people that are called by His name to make His name great among the nations, and they are simply doing things that they themselves can do. Notice that at this time, they had altogether lapsed into idolatry and evil. Their rich were corrupt, their poor were desperately sinning against each other to stay alive.
We get ourselves into the same slump today. We fear shame or embarrassment, so we don’t risk our reputations. By spending so much time covering our outward appearance, we slowly miss out on hearing God’s voice saying “Come, be different. Risk this. You might stick out or you might never be noticed by anyone again, but look at my plan for you, it is wonderful!”
Their man-sized plans brought them shame after all. 2:4 “In that day men will ridicule you; they will taunt you with this mournful song” etc. and so they are taunted by their powerless, man-powered, man-sized lives.
Doing the impossible is not easy at all. It is discouraging when you tell people and they remind you that it’s impossible.
It’s tiring when you are in the middle of it and don’t see any progress.
But, it’s worth it.
Look at Nehemiah and the people’s reaction at the end of Nehemiah. Look at the life of Joshua and his people compared to the life of those in Egypt or in the wilderness. Look at a reluctant prophet and his effect on Ninevah. Look at the Messiah’s effect on the man born blind or the woman who bled for 18 some-odd years. Look at Paul’s travel to Rome and all the hardships he survived like shipwrecks and snakebites. Look at a tax collector and some screw-ball fishermen and their stand
against the authorities.
I want to be impossible. I want to live impossible. “they do it because it is in their power to do it” is what they are convicted of. May we be far from that. May be do it because it is beyond our power to do it and is only possible because “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27)