This week’s devotions are based on Week 6 of The Prophets: Micah (WATCH HERE)
Micah 6:7“Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
The people of Micah’s day lived in contradiction. On one hand, they still brought offerings to God. On the other, they were oppressing the poor, cheating their neighbors, and twisting justice for personal gain. Their religion was alive, but their righteousness was not.
When Micah delivers God’s accusation in chapter six, the people respond defensively: “Fine, then, what do You want from us?” Their proposed solutions sound generous, but they miss the point. They want to repay God without repenting to God.
Repayment is easier than repentance. Repayment lets me stay in control. I can keep living as I please, as long as I pay my dues. It is like someone who wrongs a friend and sends a gift instead of an apology. The problem is that gifts do not heal relationships. Only honesty and humility do.
Micah had already condemned the nation’s leaders and priests for thinking that their sacrifices could outweigh their corruption. “Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they lean on the Lord and say, ‘Is not the Lord among us? No disaster will come upon us’” (Micah 3:11). They believed they could buy God’s protection while breaking His commands.
The same mindset appears today in subtler forms. We try to balance our behavior by doing something “good” to offset something wrong. We tell a lie but then donate to charity. We hold bitterness but attend church faithfully. We neglect justice but double down on religious activity. In our hearts we think, “If I give enough, maybe God will overlook the rest.”
But God cannot be bribed, and He will not be fooled. He does not want a transaction; He wants transformation. He is not asking for compensation; He is calling for conversion. His question to Israel was not “How much will you give?” but “When will you change?”
The problem with repayment is that it treats sin like a surface wound when it is really a heart disease. God is not after more sacrifices but a new spirit. He wants His people to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly—not to tip the scales, but to reflect His character.
Micah’s message is clear: You cannot repay your way out of rebellion. You can only return. And the good news of the gospel is that God Himself provides the way back. Through Jesus Christ, God does not accept payment; He gives pardon. He does not ask us to cover our sins; He covers them Himself with mercy that flows from the cross.
So, what God wanted from His people then is the same thing He desires from us now: hearts that are honest, humble, and willing to change. Repentance is not repayment. It is surrender. It is the moment we stop bargaining and start believing.
Appy: Are there areas in your life where you are offering God “payment” instead of repentance? Turn in faith from sin to your Savior. He has made the full payment for you!
Prayer: Father, forgive me for the times I have tried to cover sin with effort instead of confession. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Help me to live with integrity, to make things right with others, and to seek Your mercy. Amen.