One of the most quoted verses 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 is good and what it is The Lord requires of you: ‘Only to act justly, love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God’.”

But the religious reformation had not affected the way individuals acted. It like when somebody comes to Christ, and accepts 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 did not let it change the way they do things.

The Holy Spirit comes to reside in our lives once we accept God’s Salvation plan for our lives Once the Holy Spirit has made His instruction clear, the response to His instructions rests with us. How many times do we try to bargain with Him, to reason with Him? How many times have we said, ‘can’t we do it this way’? ‘Why do we have to do it like that?’ We try to justify our own ways and approaches. We try to repress what He wants us to confess. We try to keep what He says to release. The Holy Spirit persists because He loves us too much not to persist.

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, but it is also 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 ended,

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’s 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 person 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.

God Bless.

OFJ.