What has God done to me?

O my people, what have I done to you?

How have I wearied you? Answer me!

For I brought you up from the land of Egypt

and redeemed you from the house of slavery,

and I sent before you Moses,

Aaron, and Miriam.

Micah 6:3-4

Our sin turns against a gracious and merciful God, just like Israel did. God is legitimately asking for their reasons for having a “problem” with Him. The questions have a touch of sarcasm and clear frustration in them as God confronts the idolatry of both Israel and Judah.

God’s tone is sort of like this: “What have I done to turn you against me? Oh… wait… yeah… I saved you from slavery… I led you out of Egypt… I sent you prophets… I saved you from other nations that wanted to enslave you and wipe you out… yeah… that must be it… great reasons, all of them, to hate me.”

The history of God’s care of His people makes it clear that the sinful rejection of Him and His Law had nothing to do with how God treated them and everything to do with their own sinful hearts. God redeemed them. He saved. He led. He gave. God was merciful time and again with Israel. The people should have responded in thanksgiving, worship, and praise by obeying and loving Him.

And now, what shall I say about my sin? I can’t just point at the Old Testament story and shake my head at Israel’s spiritual dullness. I am just as bad at rejecting the God Who has redeemed me. Jesus died to free me from sin’s tyranny. I am set free from sin, no longer a slave. Why do I turn to sin again? I do so in a painful rejection of the God Who sent His Son to die and rise again for my salvation. It is a pain to Him. It is a pain to me. This is why quick confession of sin, rehearsal of the gospel in my heart on a daily basis, and seeking to be led by God’s Holy Spirit now dwelling in me should be my focus every day.