Many are searching for God.

Jesus said that those who seek, find (cf. Gospel of Matthew 7:7). But sometimes what we are seeking is not truly God at all. Sometimes we are searching for a projection — a deity shaped by our fears, our wounds, our need for control, or our assumptions about justice.

Then comes the prophet Micah with a prayer that dismantles our caricatures.

From the book of Book of Micah 7:18–20:

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity
and passing over the transgression
of the remnant of his possession?
He does not retain his anger forever
because he delights in showing steadfast love.
He will again have compassion upon us;
he will tread our iniquities under foot.
You will cast all our sins
into the depths of the sea.
You will show faithfulness to Jacob
and steadfast love to Abraham,
as you have sworn to our ancestors
from the days of old.

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“Who is a God like you?”

The name Micah itself means, “Who is like the Lord?” The prophet ends his book where he began — in awe.

Israel had every reason to expect judgment. The nation had been unjust, corrupt, spiritually unfaithful. If God were merely a strict accountant of moral debt, the story would end in devastation.

But Micah says something astonishing:

God delights in showing steadfast love.

Not reluctantly.
Not grudgingly.
Not as a last resort.

He delights in mercy.

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The God Who Deals with Sin Differently

Our assumptions about holiness often lean toward severity. We imagine a God eager to retain anger, to rehearse our failures, to preserve the record.

Micah says:

• He does not retain his anger forever.
• He will tread our iniquities under foot.
• He will cast our sins into the depths of the sea.

That is not denial of sin. It is decisive action against it.

God does not excuse sin.
He conquers it.

The imagery is vivid:

• Sin under His feet — defeated.
• Sin cast into the sea — irretrievable.

This is not partial forgiveness. It is covenant mercy.

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Covenant Faithfulness

Notice the ending:

“You will show faithfulness to Jacob
and steadfast love to Abraham…”

This prayer reaches back to promise. God’s mercy is not improvisational. It is covenantal. It is rooted in sworn faithfulness.

This same theme finds its fulfillment in the gospel proclaimed by Jesus Christ (cf. Gospel of Luke 1:72–73, echoing mercy promised to Abraham).

The God Micah praises is not inconsistent across history. He is steadfast.

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The Search for God — and the Surprise

Many are searching for God.

But what if what we expect to find is wrong?

• Some seek a harsh judge.
• Some seek a permissive enabler.
• Some seek a cosmic life-coach.
• Some seek a tribal defender of their ideology.

Micah points us elsewhere.

A God like this:

• Holy enough to confront sin.
• Powerful enough to crush it.
• Tender enough to delight in mercy.
• Faithful enough to keep covenant across generations.

Who is a God like You?

There is none.

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🕊 Reflection Questions

What would change if you truly believed your sins were cast into the depths of the sea?

What image of God have you carried that Micah challenges?

Do you believe God delights in showing steadfast love — toward you?

For deeper Bible Chat studies and companion materials, visit:
https://tomsims.substack.com/s/bible-chat