What the Lord Requires

Every society experiences injustice. Corruption is always on the brink of consuming humanity. Israel was not immune to the struggles of a fallen humanity. Injustice had become a way of life. Merchants were using false weights, widows and orphans were being taken advantage of, parents were sacrificing their children to false gods. Darkness was everywhere.

The Lord rose up and challenged his people. His words in Micah 6:1-5, call the people to remember is loving faithfulness. They call them to turn from their rebellion, and to see the foolishness of their ways. Micah, the prophet, is allowed to utter the question in hearts of his listeners: "What does God require?" (see Micah 6:6-7).

The context suggests that Micah's audience felt God demanded to much. As they rattle off items they think will appease him, the offerings grow in size and magnitude. Will there ever be enough? Their quest to appease God doesn't appear to be sincere. It is more of a pay for play theology. They are suggesting that God name the price it would take to overlook their sin.

Again, the prophet speaks, ""He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).

If we want to do what God requires, we must: act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. That leads me to three questions:

1. What does it mean to act justly? It means to live righteously, and to live righteously we must live by faith. To act justly means that we are walking in obedience to the Lord. It is to value life. It is to defend the weak. It is to let your "yes," mean yes, and your "no," mean no.

2. What does it mean to love mercy? It means that we do more than show mercy. We cultivate it. We rejoice in its display.

3. What does it mean to walk humbly with God? It means we realize that God is God and we are not. It means our confidence is not in our abilities, but in God's grace. It means we stop seeking our own kingdom, and instead pursue his.

If we want to do what God requires, we will act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God? Are you willing to do what the Lord requires?

Determining the Will of God, Pt. 2

In my last post, I began looking at discerning God’s will.  The initial step in discerning God’s will is understanding and obeying God’s commands.  The commands form the boundaries and the foundation for our faith walk.  We can be sure we are to evangelize, pray, tithe, etc.  We can also be sure that we shouldn’t lie, steal, cheat, etc.  But what about other decisions?  How do we know what to do when there isn’t a clear command or prohibition?

If our first question is, “What does the Word say?, then our next question should be, “Is it wise?.”  Wisdom is the art or skill of living a life that pleases God.  Wisdom not only recognizes the commands and prohibitions of Scripture, but it also recognizes the other principles in the Word.  As we learn how to apply the Word to life, that is to put it into practice, then we grow in wisdom.

The last question we must ask ourselves is “Do I want to do this?.” There is some prevailing wisdom that suggests that God only desires for us to do what displeases us.  That is to say, some people think that if you don’t want to do it that must mean God is going to make you do it.  As I have heard someone say, “Don’t pray that God wouldn’t send you to Africa or that is where he will send you.”

When we desire to do what pleases the Lord, he gives us the desires of our hearts.  In a decision, that doesn’t concern a specific command or principle that guides us, we have follow our sanctified hearts.  For example, we have two jobs that we have to choose between.  Neither job violates the law of God, and both jobs will provide you with the ability to provide for your family.  How do you decide?  This is the place where we have to ask ourselves, “Which one would I enjoy more?”

This simple, three-fold approach to determining the will of God, frees us to make decisions based on faith.  It makes us dependent upon the Word of God, and frees us to respond in faith.  In faith, we can know that what God has commanded us; he will enable us to do.  In faith, we can know that as we apply God’s Word to our lives, we will walk in wisdom.  By faith, we can know that stepping out in faith to glorify God, and enjoying the opportunities God sends our way.