Dear brothers and sisters, peace be with you. Today, we will examine Micah 6:8, and the topic is walking with God.
Micah 6:8, "O man, he has shown you what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to compatibly do justice, to楼主 love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Walk humbly with your God, doing justice and loving mercy.
This verse can be considered the most famous and summarizing statement in the entire book of Micah.
It remains between God's rebuke and instruction, answering the central question raised in the previous two verses.
What should one offer when coming to meet the Lord, when bowing down before the Most High God?
Is it offering a year-old calf for abundant offspring, or like Abraham, offering one's own firstborn son for one's own sins?
Perhaps we can offer a calf, but it is hard to offer our own firstborn.
Yet even so, have we ever seriously asked God what He truly requires of us?
The answer actually runs throughout the entire Bible, but it is often vaguely overlooked by us—until now.
God clearly tells us His will through a concise, powerful, and memorable statement that is both easy to record and easy to memorize.
People often like this kind of statement that can be summed up in a single sentence, because it's simple and clear, and easy to remember and recite.
Knowing clearly and memorizing it by heart are quite different from actually putting it into practice.
We still need to carefully consider what God wants us to understand from these passages?
First, this sentence immediately tells us at the beginning,
People, the Lord has shown you what is good,
This sentence completely takes away our excuse.
We can no longer say that we do not know what is good and what is evil.
So we commit evil deeds, but we are without guilt because we do not know.
When did God show us the difference between good and evil?
Was the sense of right and wrong, and the heart of goodness, placed within humans at the time of their creation?
Or by God's sending of disaster, with a great flood destroying the world and annihilating Sodom and Gomorrah.
And other disasters, to tell people what is evil and unfeasible?
Or through the laws scattered throughout, instructing us on how people ought to worship.
How one should bear the responsibility that one ought to bear
What are the things that should be done, and what are the things that are crimes and must not be done?
The answer is all of the above.
After knowing good and evil, what does God still require of humanity?
Not the cattle of a thousand mountains in the world, nor the offspring that people are required to offer.
Actually, every child is created by God and is merely entrusted to human care.
God does not need those things which humans have, for He already possesses them Himself.
God requires only that people act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him.
It is that God has already indicated and made known to people.
It's one thing to know and understand what something is, just as we've said,
What is righteousness, what is mercy—yet truly putting them into practice is not easy.
To achieve these things, the first step is to limit yourself.
I can simply reach out and take what others have planted and nurtured.
It's only possible at night, when no one can see.
But because it is justice, we must restrain ourselves,
Not only must we limit ourselves by humbly believing that we are equal to others,
When we see the poor and the pitiful,
We cannot coldly say that this is solely due to their own lack of effort.
Or rather, this is God disciplining them.
Even if according to justice they should suffer,
God still requires us to have a heart full of pure compassion.
Even willing to sacrifice what they justly deserve in order to help those in need.
True humility is even more difficult to attain.
It is already difficult enough for people to achieve self-restraint and sacrifice.
God might just bless us,
But even if we are wealthy, capable, and honored because of God's blessings,
Nor should you thus become arrogant and boast about yourselves.
One must not oppress others using one's own advantages.
These matters might still be understandable and comprehensible.
It is extremely difficult to do.
Just as we lament the difficulty of knowing what is right and doing what is right,
But God has given us the most perfect answer,
He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into the world.
The perfect example of living out justice, mercy, and humility in person.
So that we may see with our own eyes,
Also understand how people can truly live out these virtues.
Even more奇妙 is that God Himself is righteous, merciful, and humble.
It is through His mercy toward our ruined and weak state that we are able to walk with Him.
If God possesses only holiness and power,
We sinners cannot possibly draw near.
But by His mercy and humility,
It is only possible for humans to walk with God.
Walking with your God is a choice available to everyone.
When we are willing to rely on God's power and receive His provision,
But are we also willing to accept God's oversight?
Will you accept His burial and the guidance and discipline of the liver?
Only those who are willing to walk with God and work together with the Lord
He is the one who truly pleases God.
Amen.
