What Do You Want?
What do you want? We’ve all uttered that phrase haven’t we…often in frustration and often in desperation…what do you want? Maybe you’ve asked God that same question as things have not unfolded in your life the way you wanted them to unfold. Maybe you’ve asked this question of God out of a sincere desire to please Him and to be His child. In the book of Micah both judgment and restoration are promised. There are two “well known” verses in the book of Micah. The first is in chapter 5 where Bethlehem is foretold to be the birthplace of the Messiah and the second is found in Micah chapter 6, verse 8: He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
It’s not fair to say that in this verse is all that God “wants” or desires from us but there are three pretty good thoughts here from the Old Testament, when combined with the grace of the New Testament and the power of the Holy Spirit, that make a lot of sense. “Do justly”. Do what is right. Obey. Follow the commands of Christ which are only possibly via a relationship with God through Jesus. “Love Mercy”. I know that I love to experience mercy when I don’t “do justly”…how about you? But this command, I think, is meant for us to show mercy…to love mercy…not to extend it grudgingly or because we have to but because we want to. God’s people are to be examples of His mercy and we are to extend mercy to others. Finally, “Walk humbly with your God”. To walk means to live. God wants us to make Him an everyday part of our lives…really an every moment part of our lives. And when we walk with someone as amazing as God, we should desire to do it humbly. Followers of Jesus are nothing without God. We have nothing to brag or boast about. When we walk with God, day by day, moment by moment, we will do it in a humble manner…or He will begin to walk away from us.
Are there any parts of this three-fold command that you need to work on today? “Do justly…love mercy…walk humbly with your God…”. This is what God wants and you won’t be disappointed if you listen to Him.