He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you. But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?       Micah 6:8 HCSB

We need to be sure we are giving God our first and our best.  The Bible tells us that we are to give our first ten percent to God.  But what else does God want of us. We don’t deserve the gift of salvation that God has given us, but he gives it freely.  Why? Because, He loves us unconditionally.  God gives us mercy beyond measure.  Okay, now you are tithing your ten percent and maybe even helping out those in need as well, so now what?

In this scripture passage it’s spelled out clearly for us,  the Lord requires us to act justly.  God wants us to do what’s right.  In each and every situation that we encounter, we have a choice.  We can do what we feel like doing or we can do what’s right.  It’s so tempting to tell that little white lie when you get in a jam.  It’s so tempting to keep that wallet full of bills that you find in the parking lot.  It’s so tempting to be mean to those that have wronged you.  It’s so tempting to walk past that person that is begging for your help.  God simply wants us to do the right thing.  His Word is filled with instructions for living.  We have talked a great deal lately about His greatest commandment..  If we love the Lord with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind.  We will want to do what is right.

God wants us to love mercy.  We were made in God’s image.  We were made to be like God.  It’s when we act according to the flesh and do what the devil wants us to do that things just don’t work out for us.  Why?  Because we were not made to be that way.  Obviously God loves mercy or He wouldn’t forgive sinners like you and me.  The second greatest commandment says that we are to love others as we love ourselves.  If you really do this then certainly you would extend mercy to the person that has wronged you.  Certainly you will have compassion for the person that has destroyed their life with drugs or alcohol. Now the counselor in me feels compelled to tell you that there is a thin line here between being merciful and being an enabler, but trust God to lead you when you deal with others and do what He would have you to do.  Why would you not extend the same mercy to others that God has extended to you? “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect.  No, I worked harder than all of them-yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”  1 Corinthians 15:10.  When you stop and think of all the grace and mercy that God extends to us, how can you not be merciful to others?

God wants us to walk humbly with Him.  What an awesome invitation!  God wants us to walk with Him.  If you read the new testament during the time of Jesus’ life, you will see that even though He was the son of God, he lived humbly.  You never heard Him boast or brag.  God wants us to walk humbly.  When we brag about what we did or could do or what we plan on doing, we are glorifying ourselves.  We do nothing without God.  You don’t take a breath unless God gives it to you.  So why would we not live a humble life?  Why would we not want to glorify God in all that we do?

There are people that would do just about anything to go back stage and meet their favorite movie star, singer, or sports hero, right?  But this is an invitation to actually walk with God.  God wants us to walk with Him.  He wants us to be humble and kind. God wants us to talk with Him.  His Word speaks instructions on how to live, but He also wants us to talk to Him.  Keeping that close relationship through an open line of communication makes walking with God much easier.  If we act justly and love mercy then being humble and kind should just fall into place, right?  The other advantage to walking with Jesus is that we are much less likely to get into trouble.  I remember holding my parents hand when I walked as a child to keep me safe.  I have held the hands of my nieces and nephews when they were young.  It served two purposes.  First and foremost it kept a predator from snatching them and secondly it kept them from wandering into the street and getting hurt.  This is the same principle when we walk with the Lord.  His hand is held out to you.  Why not begin an everlasting stroll with Him today.  Walk in the humility that brings peace, joy, and security to your life.  It’ll be the best walk ever!

Have a great weekend!