Contributor: Wale Abiona
INTRODUCTION
Last week, while studying God’s Plan for Man, we understood that His original plan for man and location He placed man was to replicate what was present in heaven here on earth. The Lord’s Prayer in Mat. 6:10 gives us this insight …“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”
Rev 4:11 also tells us that God created all things for His pleasure
Gen. 3:8 revealed to us that God walked with man in the Garden for fellowship, and after the fall of man, He didn’t put man off but He sought to keep His original plan by giving us instructions on how to maintain the fellowship.
The book of Micah revealed three things that will help us with that and continue to give God the pleasure He desired in our daily fellowship with Him.
As we go through this verse of scripture, I want us to ask ourselves one question and as we progress in today’s today, we should individually answer the question
What does God want from me?
Text Micah 6:8
“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?"
A. TO DO JUSTLY
Acting justly, or doing justice, is “the quality of being impartial or fair.” Our world is full of injustice and God wants you and I to be different. This could be achieved by questioning our actions
1. Who will suffer the consequence(s) of my action(s)?
2. At what cost am I getting this done?
The 4 way test of the rotary club comes to mind
• Is it the TRUTH?
• Is it FAIR to all concerned?
• Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
• Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
In Proverbs 12:3 the Bible says: “Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots..”
Proverbs 12:19 also says: “The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment.”
Perhaps some people try to accomplish things and advance in life through deception. But it is clear that it will not last! What is done right is what will stand at the end.
Jesus spoke about the two houses, the house that was built on the sand and the one built on the rock. The house on the rock was not shaken when the storm beat against it. Everybody encounters the storms of life, the elements of life, both the righteous and the ungodly. But the house of the righteous is built on a rock; it is built on righteousness and it stands firmly.
So, what does the Lord require of you?
To choose righteousness and goodness in all your ways! To try and gain something for yourself in an ungodly way never pays. There is no blessing in that.
Doing justice is helping the needy around us. Jesus said the poor you will have with you always. Mat.26:11
In Proverbs 21:13 we learn that God’s Word shows no impartiality. It says, “Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need”
B. LOVE MERCY
The next command offered by God in Micah 6:8 is “to love mercy.”
This means to show compassion. It is a combination pity and love that produces a kind reaction towards others.
Mercy refers to God’s loving kindness to us. It is interesting to note that God wants us to show mercy—having compassion for those in need. This is not always easy, as we see so much human need; it is on our streets and are bombarded daily by social media. It is easy for our hearts to harden and our minds to judge.
“As one of my people, I hope you love mercy—for that is what you have received.”
There is the story of the founder of Food for the Hungry Organisation (Dr. Ward) whose core value is mercy. He had learned that 10,000 people worldwide were dying of hunger every day and was distraught over the number, begging God for an answer to how he could help. “I’m just one person,” he prayed.
He sensed God saying to him, “But they die one at a time, my son, they die one at a time.”
Dr. Ward realized that if people die one at a time, we can help them one at a time. He founded FH on the concept that mercy can be shown to one person at a time, by one person at a time.
Moved by compassion, each of us can take the step of showing tangible mercy to a person in need.
One of the challenges we face is the thought of the numbers needing mercy and this has prevented us from doing what is expected of us. One at a time, that is all that is required. We cannot solve the world problem, but you can help one person. And he will later help one person and so on and so forth.
C. WALK HUMBLY
The third command in Micah 6:8 is “to walk humbly with your God.”
The “walk” is used often in Scripture to describe the overall direction one’s life is heading. The adverb “humbly” moves us away from arrogance and the egocentric need to always be better than others, to the simple acceptance of the gifts that God has placed within us
In Deuteronomy, there are a number of references to walking in the way of the Lord, several psalms refer to a walk being blameless, and 1 John 1:7 encourages us to walk in the light.
This gives us an insight into what type of relationship God is calling us to, a life that fits into that path. Humility is what helps us to trust and obey God.
Humility is the hallmark of our walk with Him. To acknowledge that without God’s grace, we are nothing, we are poor but He is rich and became poor so that we may become rich in His love. To understand that we’ve been saved by His grace is a sign of humility.
Walking humbly with God is of key importance when relating with people especially those who are below us. On many occasions, we often forget that we were once in their shoes and it was only by His grace that we are who we are today.
The hymn “Trust and Obey” comes to mind as the first verse reads
“When we walk with the Lord in the light of his Word, what a glory he sheds on our way! While we do his good will, he abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey.”
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
1. What does the Lord desire for me?
These we have seen through our study today
2. What gifts and abilities has He given me for that?
The power and ability to make right choices and the Holy Spirit is available to guide us
3. How can I step outside my comfort zone to other areas the Lord may be desiring for me? (obeying God rather than my flesh)
By taking a step of faith, trusting God by holding unto His Word
4. What are ways I can make Micah 6:8 an action in my life?
By purposefully doing what we learnt today, always desiring to do His will.
John 1:12 tells us that for as many that believes, to them He gave power to become what they desire in line with His plan, according to the power that work in us.
Ephesians 3:20 says: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,”
CONCLUSION
God’s expectations are actually very simple, there is no beating around the bush with Him. His desire is that His children should be like Him, have the same mind, the same thoughts, and the same life, and the same godly sorrow over unrighteousness in our hearts. The same honesty and straightforwardness in every areas of our lives.
Disciples of Christ are characterised by integrity and honesty. There should be no deceitful, or hidden agenda in our behaviours. Everything should be direct and straightforward, as we follow in His footsteps.
God’s desire; what He requires from us is to do what is just, show mercy and be humble.
