Have you ever had something brought to your attention multiple times? When that happens to me, I pay attention because I believe the Lord is trying to tell me something. Yesterday I was checking my Facebook page and a friend of mine had written “act justly…love mercy…walk humbly with God.” I thought those were very profound words but then went about my day.
Last night, I grabbed the book I’ve been ready and sat down to unwind from my day. I am reading a book based on King Ahaz and Hezekiah. As I read through the final pages, I came to the place where the prophet Micah is talking to King Hezekiah and tells him “act justly…love mercy…and walk humbly with your God.” I had an “aha” moment and decided this morning, I would find that verse and see what the Lord was telling me.
The verse is found in Micah 6:8 “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah was one of God’s prophets in the Old Testament. He traveled to Hezekiah, who had just become king, to draw him and the people of Jerusalem back to God. His father, King Ahaz, had done evil in the site of God. Hezekiah wanted to know what God required of him and Micah stated it plainly.
God doesn’t just require this of Hezekiah, but of all believers. We are to act justly. Are you fair in the way you treat others? Do you work things out where you come out with a better deal or is it fair to all involved? [Proverbs 11:1]
We are to love mercy, which means to treat those in distress with compassion. Oh, how the Lord has shown us all mercy time and time again. We are called to do the same for others who have wronged us [Matthew 5:39].
And finally, we are to walk humbly with God. When I read that, my eyes were immediately drawn to “with God.” John 15:5 tells us apart from God we can do nothing. However, with God we will bear much fruit. I don’t want to live a moment without God. Yet we aren’t just called to walk with Him, but in a submissive posture, yielding to His authority and position in our lives. God is God and I’m not. Why should I pretend to be who He so clearly is, even in my own life?
How many times have you said, “I just wish I knew what God wanted me to do” or something similar? Here He states clearly what believers should do and it transcends the generations. Act justly…love mercy…and walk with God!