08/25/10

Micah 6.8, “He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

We live in a world of high-speed information.  Things that, during my childhood, would take days to transmit around the world now are transmitted in seconds – almost instantaneously.

Not more than 10 years ago, when I would work up a word-study devotional, I would lay out numbers of volumes of commentaries and dictionaries as reference tools. Today, all of those tools are on my hand-held device that I can take anywhere (among other study helps it includes 18 translations, 12 multi-volume commentaries, and 16 dictionary/word studies).  Information is available – exceedingly and abundantly available.

The problem in Christianity today is not that we need more commentaries, more seminars, more translations of the Bible, or even better teachers and preachers.  We don’t even need more churches or better and more improved methods. What we need to do is to put into practice the things we do know.  Micah wrote, “He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee…” “He hath shown thee…”  Someone once said that the truly blind person is the one who is not willing to see.

So what has the LORD (Jehovah) shown (“made conspicuous”) and what is it He requires?

He requires us to “do justly.” This means we are to have a right judgment over all situations.  So often we allow feelings to creep in and blur our spiritual vision.  The one who puts his faith in Christ for salvation is allowed no such faltering – feelings have never been and never shall be a faithful guide. Only the written Word of God as applied by His Spirit can be trusted for accurate judgments.

He requires us to “love mercy.” One commentator says this means, “A kindly abatement of what we might justly demand, and a hearty desire to do good to others.” Even though the line is straightly and distinctly drawn concerning God’s will and His requirements, we are to show mercy – an extension of God’s own mercy laced with His loving-kindness.  Mercy should be the first thing on the Christian’s mind – prior to judgment (getting even).

He requires us to “walk humbly (in lowliness of mind) with…God.” We are not required to exact payment on God’s behalf, but to lead people to the One who can bring about real change in their lives.  The believer is not to strut about proudly concerning his Christian life, but to live in meekness and holiness realizing that each of us is a sinner deserving the worst; however, God, in His mercy, offered each of us a way of salvation – a way we neither deserved, nor could obtain without help – His help.  All of our boasting is in what God has done – not in our own accomplishments.

But, you know that.  We all know that. We need no one to tell us. We simply need to do the right thing.

Rev. John H Hill