What Does the Lord Require?
Posted on February 26, 2015 by Graeme Wilson in Freedom Fighters
What does the Lord require?
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 ESV)
There are always questions about the way we should apply to our life. There many discussions that believers have concluded to agree to disagree. And as I grow in the Lord the conversation varies determine to whom you talk to. However, universally there are some certainties in our found in the Word that are unavoidable and must be absolute.
Does the prophet ask the children of Israel a rhetorical question, because he answers quickly thereafter? The question is to prick the hearts of Israelites and any listener. The question is to those who really want to do well in the sight of God, and understand that there are some requirements.
- To do right: There is notion that we have no part in the work, and that is if individuals decide to work hard in kingdom business that we are taking a Catholic Church mentality, or a work based theology. God elected us through his mercy to do the good work in sharing and carrying the gospel to a lost world, as well as love each other toward the heavenly calling; this our reasonable service. We understand that our righteousness is through Christ, but are we upright in our attitudes, morality, and service to our Lord. Therefore doing good is not evil, but being good is not enough. Our heart must motivate us.
- Love Kindness: Some versions translate to love mercy. We love when we receive mercy and I personally love when someone is kind to me. But am I known for showing kindness and being a lover of mercy for other individuals. These are just a few of the fruit of the spirit that are mention in Galatians 5. The love God is encouragement that fuels our love towards one another.
- Walk humbly: God resist the proud, and gives graces to humble is warning as well as a promise. It all depends on where which position you’re in. Pride rears its evil head in many areas of our life, it shapes itself in various forms and is not always obvious to detect. I learn that I need outside accountability to give me honest assessment, and not be my own measuring stick. Jesus Christ is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, and the great I Am. He entered in time, in the form of a baby, lived as man, amongst humanity. Beating, and humiliated without uttering a Word. This is the ultimate example of humility, and until we reach anything close to this, we have work to do.
Micah provides a nice blueprint toward a goal to do what pleases the Lord, but before any attempt, the reality is that we can do nothing without the personal relationship and faith that God can do it through you. Juan Mendez is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and serves there as a Chaplain. You can email Juan @ jmendez@americaskeswick.org
Daily Bible Reading: Exodus 23-24; 2 Thessalonians 2
Think About This: Slaves find freedom when released from their duties; children find freedom in doing their duty. John Owens
This Week’s Verse to Memorize: The Lord judges the peoples; Vindicate me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me. Psalm 7:8