Micah 6:8

Recently our church watched a DVD by Jim Sammons on the importance of memorizing and meditating on Scripture.  We heard testimonies of how God often uses the verse we are memorizing as a way of escape from a temptation we may face that week.

This week we were challenged to all work on memorizing Micah 6:8.

I was inspired this morning as I read Micah 6:6-8 out of the New Living Translation (& commentary).

"What can we bring to the Lord?  what kind of offering should we give him?

Should we bow before God 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?

Verse 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.".

Israel responded to God's case against them by trying to appease him with sacrifices, hoping he would leave them alone.  But sacrifices and other religious rituals aren't enough;  God wants changed lives.  He wants his people to be fair, just, merciful, and humble.  God wants us to become living sacrifices, not just doing religious deeds, but living rightly.  It is impossible to follow God consistently without his transforming love in our hearts. 

People have tried all kinds of ways to please God but God has made his wishes clear:  He wants his people to do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with him.  In your effortst to please God, examine these areas on a regular basis.  Are you fair in your dealings with people?  Do you show mercy to those who wrong you?  Are you learning humility?