It's not common practice to talk about God's anger on the first day of Advent. But it sure is neccesary. In order for us to understand why God had to send Jesus to make a way for us, we need to understand how corrupt the human heart was during Micah's time, and how corrupt our hearts continue to be.

Our rebellion against God's instructions for how we ought to live cannot simply be shoved under an all encompassing blanket of divine love. It's something that must be dealt with face to face, with God in the flesh. With Jesus.

God's heartbreak for His children is expressed in furious anger against our actions and against our sin. His anger is just, it is righteous and it is good. But, in His great mercy, His anger is poured out not on us, but on our Saviour. In this season of Advent, we look towards the hope that the gospel proclaims, the hope that begins with an infant lying in a manger. The hope that points to a God who deeply desires good for His children. The hope that points to a God who sent His own son to cover our sins. Praise be to our Lord Jesus, who came to earth as a baby and made a way for us to be united to our Heavenly Father in eternity.