When I was a little boy (I was one once!), a old neighbor who lived across the street, named Fred Gray,back in Millburn, New Jersey in the ’50’s, used to call me ‘Johnnie What’. I guess he called me that because I kept asking him ‘what’ that was all about. What does that mean? What did you say? Inquisitive little guy was I who probably wore out his welcome like Dennis the Menace with Mr. Wilson! I liked Mr. Gray in spite of ‘what’ he might have said! Today’s Bible reading is not about ‘what’ but ‘who’. The Old Testament prophet Micah poses a real important question in life–‘who is a God like you…?'(verse 18). Who? As if calling for a decision as to who God really is. And then Micah tells us some wonderful, affirming, uplifting and encouraging– characteristics of our God, the One and Only. Read those 3 short verses again. And again. Aren’t they amazing? Meditate on them today and tomorrow also. Roll them around in your mind as good medicine for the soul. Who is like our God? He pardons our sin. Called up before the judge to give account for our sins, and instead of receiving our just sentence we find that the judge just pardons us. We’re free…to go and live for Him. Free and pardoned! Then Micah says, ‘He forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance’–God lets go of where and when we’ve gone over the line, stepped out of bounds, even though we may be few in number, but a mere remnant, yet He says that we are His inheritance. We are…His precious legacy. When the spiritual last will-and-testament in Heaven is read, those of us who believe in Jesus Christ are awarded to God Himself! Better than gold and silver, homes and money, cars and power position…yes, that’s what we are to God! Chew on that for a moment. Verse 19 tells us more about who God is– He never stays angry with us for long, never holds a grudge, never looks for salt to toss into our wounds– but the Bible says He ‘delights to show mercy’. Now grace, they say, is receiving what I don’t deserve. Mercy is not receiving what I do deserve. I’ll take God’s mercy any day! Both come to us from Him freely and joyously and generously like a stream that never runs dry. It’s His delight to shower blessings of mercy on each of His children, His inheritance. Why is this so hard to comprehend, let alone believe? For me, it’s just knowing myself. Looking in the mirror of my life with so many failings and foibles, sins by whatever name you may choose. Here I am dragging up everything from my past and God draws along side of me saying that He loves to forgive me, He lives to set me free–and not just me. You too! Next time I want to spend more time in these wonderful verses from the prophet Micah. Okay? There’s so much here and you could write your own blog if you would just spend some extra time today asking the Lord in prayer to open these verses from the Bible to your mind and heart…to free you of all that old, excess baggage. It would be worth is all!