One of one of the most quoted verse is the Bible, most people would be surprised to know, comes from the Old Testament Book of Micah.

Micah 6 verse 8: “He has told you men what bis good and what it is The Lord requires of you: ‘Only to act justly, love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God’.”

Micah, who lived in a small village in the southern Kingdom of Judah, was called by God to announce the sins of religious and business leaders who governed Judah. This was at the time when a great religious reforms had taken place.

But the religious reformation had not  effected the way individual acted. It like when somebody comes to Christ, and accept Him, as their Lord, Savior and Friend, there appears no change in their lives, as if they accepted Him, as something they needed to do, but not let it change the way they do things.

Micah had a strong sense of the need for justice in society, whether through the proper administration of Justice in the courts [3 v11 & 7 v3}, or through fairness in the marketplace {6 v 9 -12} or dealing with authority and power in a responsible manner {7 v 2-6}.

A person’s relationship with God is primary and determines all others, hence the verse, “What it is The Lord requires of us all, Only to act justly, and love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with Our God”.

We can read the Book of Micah for all it historical facts, as well, which is also a great source of more encouragement. But the message to get us excited is what does The Lord require us all to do,

To Act Justly: God not only expects our lives to be just, it is a command to be just. In the place where we live and have influence, God requires our courts to be honest, the laws be carried out, the rights of the poor and the homeless be defended. God requires that financial crimes be judged harshly and properly. God requires that corruption in governments be brought to an end,

To love Mercy: God expects us to be doing constant good in society. Where there is no abandonment of people, or children, or elderly, and those going through hardships, but there is no condoning, things that would offend Him. We have a society now that doesn’t offer Mercy to all, remembering Mercy comes through justice.

God justice for all our sins, was achieved by Christ death on the Cross, now His mercy is available to us. Now the mercy we have been given we need to extend to others, but we don’t condone the things that God hates. Somehow society has got that wrong, there are things that are still unacceptable to God, and should remain unacceptable to a person who has faith in God. Showing Mercy and Love, doesn’t bring approval for what that persons doing.

To Walk Humbly with Our God. God wants people to submit to Him through Faith in Christ Jesus.  Christ Jesus told, His follower to go into all the world, to spread the Gospel of Good News to all nations. We do that through witness, acting justly, showing mercy, and letting our walk with Him be true.

Micah is an enjoyable book to read, and much more can be gleaned from it, but the excitement we have taken from it is, How to we walk with Our Lord, Our Redeemer and Our Friend, with Justice and Mercy and Love.

God Bless.

O F J.