Micah 6:6-8

⁶ What can we bring to the Lord?
    Should we bring him burnt offerings?
Should we bow before God Most High
    with offerings of yearling calves?
⁷ Should we offer him thousands of rams
    and ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Should we sacrifice our firstborn children
    to pay for our sins?

⁸ No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
    and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
    and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:6-8

Dear God, verse 8 is likely Micah’s most quoted verse, and I don’t like taking it out of context without looking at all of Micah, but I do thing the overall message of what you are saying through Micah in verses 1-5 and then Micah’s follow-up to the Israelites in verse 6-8. Do we sacrifice and bring a big, “I’m so sorry!” or do we resolve to do what is right, love mercy, and then walk humbly with you? What will it be for me today?

One caveat I have is doing what is right for the right reason. I can do what is right an awful lot, but sometimes it’s for the desire of selfish gain. I do what it right because I want it to influence an outcome that if preferrable to me. It can happen with my wife. It can happen in my job. Among friends.

What about loving mercy. I was reading a commentary that pointed out this morning that it is one thing to have mercy, but it’s another thing to love mercy. Do I find joy and peace in the mercy I extend to others, or do I get either some kind of power trip out of it or still secretly hold the grudge? When I extend mercy, is it rooted in you?

Then walking humbly with you. Well, humility is an interesting thing. To do something humbly with you can be tricky because I so love getting attention for being good. Even yesterday, I was offered an opportunity that some might consider to have some power and prestige. I can honestly tell you that that is not why I accepted. In fact, it’s why I almost declined. I accepted because I will be able to perform a duty in it. I almost declined because of the extra work and responsibility. I accepted because I think I might be in a unique position to have a positive influence and move the needle in the direction of mercy for our community.

Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, this morning, the afternoon, and this evening–all day long–I will have opportunities to do the right thing, love mercy, and walk humbly with you. Help me to do that in ever area of my life. As a husband. As a father. As a sibling. As a son. As a friend. As a boss. Aa an employee. And as a community member. As your child in this community, live through me and envelop my spheres of influence so that when others see me they simply see you.

I pray this under your Holy Authority,

Amen

 

Micah 6:6-8

What can we bring to the Lord? Should we bring him burnt offerings? Should we bow before God Most High with offerings of yearling calves? Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins? No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:6-8

Dear God, to obey is better than to sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). And you made the sacrifice part even easier with the gift of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. I don’t really have to give up some of my possessions in atonement. I just need to repent.

So what am I supposed to do?

• Do what is right: This one is obvious. Tell the truth. Be honest in my dealings with others. Do not covet and have other idols. Frankly, this is impossible, but it is certainly a goal worth striving for.
• Love mercy: Loving mercy means turning loose of what I think I deserve and specifically giving something to someone that they do not deserve. Help. Forgiveness. Compassion. Comfort.
• Walk humbly with you: I can get awfully cocky and full of myself. I also get to feeling like I can do things on my own. But, without you, my life is a house of cards just waiting to collapse. My foundation is shifting sand. Everything is vapor. With you, however, the house is built on a solid foundation so that, regardless of how the wind blows and the rains come down, there is still peace to be found.

Father, as I head back into work today, help me to do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with you. As I interact with my wife and children, help me to do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with you. As I interact with friends and coworkers, help me to do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with you. As I spend time alone, help me to do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with you. As I pray to you, help me to do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Micah 6:8

No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8

Dear God, this sounds simple enough. And yet, when I woke up this morning, I saw an email about someone I know in Fredericksburg who really frustrated me and made me angry last year. As I sit here now, I realize that I have not loved mercy or walked humbly when it comes to him. How many other times do I fail you in this area every day?

There was actually a Steven Curtis Chapman song about this verse about 20 years ago called “The Walk.” It basically said that you can do great things, have power, experience success, etc., but at the end of the day it all comes down to asking yourself if you did right, loved mercy and walked humbly with you.

Father, when it all gets stripped away, help me to simply be left having been doing these three simple things. And help me to forgive this friend. I need to be more compassionate when it comes to him.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen