From the Words of a Child; Micah 5:2-5a

Rev. George Miller
July 19, 2020
Micah 5:2-5a

(In the spirit of much needed fun and escape, today’s sermon is a character-based message portraying Micah as a wide-eyed kid. Micah comes out clapping and doing his own cheer.)

“My name is Micah!
I’m from the south
I love the Lord
I got a big mouth

I love Yahweh
What does God say?
To do justice, kindness
And humili-tay!” (repeat as needed)

Hi everyone! My name is Micah. I’m eight years old.

I live in Mora, Mora, Mora-sheth-eth-ethh.

I think that’s how you say it.

Anyway, it’s a small, small town. Like really really small. And it’s far away from the big city, like 20 whole miles!

Dad says it would take 5 hours to get there, so I’ve never gone. But I hope to one day.

Here in Mora-sheth-ethh we have lots of farms and grass and sheep and goats and bumblebees and flowers.

People are really friendly here too; we like to help one another out.

Dad says that because we’re so far away from the city that we are expected to take care of our own.

That means if someone is sick, we visit them. If someone’s hungry, we feed them.

If someone is sad, we try to cheer them up. If someone can’t walk so good, we help them with their chores.

If someone’s Ma or Pa dies, we take them in. If someone’s husband dies, the men make sure their home is still cared for and the women make casseroles.

That’s just what we do.

I asked Mom why that is. She told me it’s because of our history.

Mom said that a looong time ago our people came from another place in which bad, bad things happened.

Mom said God was watching out for us, so God led us to this land where we could live in peace and freedom.

I love the Lord. I like when Mom and Dad tell me stories about God.

Like the one about Gideon who was a farm boy, just like me. He was called by God to be a mighty warrior.

Or David who was a shepherd in another small town called Bethlehem. He became King of the country.

But my favorite story is from Deutero, Deutero, Deuteronomonomy.

It’s when the people have been wandering the dessert for a really long time, and before the go into the Promised Land, Moses gives them a big speech.

Moses tells the people that if they do all God asks and obey the commandments with all their hearts, the Lord will show great love and our animals, our soil, our bodies will all be happy.

Moses tells the people we don’t have to climb real high or swim so far, because happiness is right next to us.

All we have to do is love the Lord, walk in God’s ways, and choose life.

Mom says that God loves us so much that we are given a choice each and every day to choose God or not.

Even if we don’t have a good day, or if we do not-so-good things, we get another chance the next day to choose again.

That’s why every morning when Mom wakes us up for chores, she says “Wake up sleepy heads. Choose today!”

Dad says this story is why we do what we do. That’s why we are good neighbors and visit the sick, feed the hungry, and help out others.

It’s our way of choosing God and choosing life.

You know what?

I bet that if we are able to do all those things in our small town, they must do even gooder things in the big city.

I bet in the big city where they have priests and prophets and the Holy Temple that there is a lot of good things happening every day.

Daddy says the King and lots of successful people live in the city.

If that’s true they must be helping out a lot of people.

I bet you that in the big city there are no sick people, or hungry people, or lonely people, or sad people.

I bet you all the orphans and widows live in big houses with lots of food.

If we can do all we do in our small town, I can only imagine how many good things they’re doing up in Jerusalem.

I hope I get to go there one day. Maybe I can even meet the King and tell him what a good job he’s doing.

Momma says I got a big mouth and that I talk too much, so he’s sure to listen.

But for now, I’m here in Mora-sheth-eth-ethh.

I love my Ma, I love my Pa. I love my neighbors. I love my goats.

I love God.

I’m so glad that every day we are given a choice to do what is right.

I’m so glad that every day we can say “Yes” to God.

I’m so glad that God is not far away, but right here, in our heart.

For that, we can say “Amen.”