http://www.extremelove.com/what-does-the-lord-require-of-you/
This verse has been on my mind of late, “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.” Micah 6:8
Sometimes I put so many personal requirements on my
life. Requirements motivated by
perfectionism that are self-imposed, requirements that stem from other people’s
expectations of me, requirements that I think God may desire. But I love this scripture that brings a
refreshing simplicity into my relationship with God.
God shows me what
is good
Psalms 31:19 says, that God has stored up good things for me
as I fear Him. Psalm 84:11 says, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the
Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose
walk is blameless.” What a comfort to know that he not only shows me what is
good but he does not withhold good from me.
God shows me what
is required of me
I love this verse from Acts 2, “You have made known to me
the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” He wants to show us what is required of us
and the paths for us to walk in.
What is required: Do Justly
Do justice! I like
justice defined as “taking up the cause for restoration of every violation of
Love. Taking the wrong and making it
right.”
What is
required: Love Mercy
Ephesians 2:4 says that God is rich in mercy. How wonderful that the God of the universe
lives inside of me, so I too can be “rich” in mercy, showing compassion,
kindness and forgiveness readily. I can
approach God’s throne of grace with confidence and receive His mercy.
What is
required: Walk Humbly with your God
An invitation to walk with God free from haughtiness,
arrogance or assertive behavior. A
yielded, submission to His Lordship in our lives. And again
in Psalms 25:9 we find another promise of God guiding (the humble) us in what
is right and teaching us His ways. Psalm
149:4 says, that the Lord takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble
with victory. How beautiful the picture
of a submissive, yieldness to God that produces victory! Often in our culture we think of victory as
assertive and extroverted act, but the scripture is saying that humility is the
path to victory.
Today, I am doing a little personal inventory on the
“requirements” of the Lord and I invite you, to do the same. I welcome you to pray this prayer with me . .
. “God, I thank you that you have shown
me what is good. I ask that you increase
the fear of the Lord in my life to live blamelessly before you and walk in the
good things you have stored up for me. Thank you that you show me what you
require of me by making known to me paths of life. Today, may I take every wrong that comes my
way and turn it towards your righteousness.
May I release your justice into every violation of love that is revealed
to me. I approach your throne of grace
with confidence and receive the mercy that you have for me to be rich in. Help me to love mercy. May goodness and mercy
follow me all the days of my life and may I dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. I yield myself and submit to
your Lordship. Thank you, God, that you
always lead me in victorious triumph in Christ!
This day and forever, may I do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with
you God!”
Micah 6:8 Video - Martin Smith
