Broken

I wonder ... at what time in history (of the Hebrews, of the Church, of our nation) do we really think we got it right?  Biblically, there were few times that would resemble this standard.  Some would say "the days of the Torah were 'the good old days.'"  They surely haven't read the mistakes, the failures and the sins of God's chosen who failed their way to the promised land.  The only way they had water to drink, fields to plow, pastures to tend and a place to live was God's provision and grace ... for God's glory.  It wasn't the people of Micah's time who have God's judgement of their legal, political, religious and social systems judged and found wanting in the following passage ...
"With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,  with calves a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.(Micah 8:6-8)."
It wasn't in Jesus' time as He condemned the leaders of His time for their religious, political, social and economic actions.  It wasn't even in Paul's, Timothy's and John's time all of them passed on God's judgement and condemnation of the Church of that time.  This week I read a disturbing article that seemed to be saying the Church of the last half of the 20th century somehow had it 'on the ball' and did great things to teach their children and their young adults (by the way, the children and young adults that raised current generations).  As the 'messenger' to the Church at Good News (language from Revelation) I read Micah 8 and find the Church (present and past) wanting.  People fear the word 'justice' as if it somehow isn't part of the Biblical lexicon of people called Christians.  I find little mercy in the hearts of many Christians.  And humility is looked down upon as weakness.  But didn't Jesus model these traits?  I believe we would do right to repent of our past failures to teach and model these traits.  We should acknowledge that we are broken.  I think we should ask God to teach us more about Micah's "great requirement."  After all ... He has shown (in life, death and resurrection) what is good.  Maybe we should listen.  Pastor Randy