"No, o Israel, 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."
(Micah 6:8 NLT)
Hello, Mrs. Kurtz.
Now that we have finished discussing Micah 6:8, I decided to share with you some of the things that I learned, and to summarize the main idea of the verse.
As an individual, I tend to place a lot of importance on pleasing people. My actions are geared toward satisfying my role models/authority figures because I know they have my best interest in mind. I get good SAT scores for my parents, turn in homework for teachers, and make my time intervals for my coach, but oftentimes I forget what's most important: pleasing God. But, what exactly does it mean to please God? How can I live out His will?
Luckily, thanks to your help, I have discovered that the Bible gives us the perfect outline for this in Micah 6:8: "He has shown you, O mortal, 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".
God has given us three main commands to shape our lives as believers: act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.
Acting justly means being fair to others and having a Biblical sense of morality. God is fair in punishing us sinners with Hell if we choose to reject His salvation. "For we know Him who said, 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' and again 'The Lord will judge His people'." (Hebrews 10:30) Not only are we to treat other people justly according to the Word, but also we are to do what is right. Acting justly also means that we do the right thing even when it is easier to sin. This requires listening to the Holy Spirit within you and letting Him guide your actions.
Loving mercy means is choosing to forgive people of whom you have the ability to resent. As we discussed, Jesus exemplifies this perfectly in His conversations with the woman caught in adultery and the woman at the well (John 8:1-11; John 4:1-42). It was within His power to condemn these ladies, yet He showed them mercy and offered them forgiveness for their sins when the other bystanders were so quick to judge and shame them.
Walking humbly with God requires us to honestly assess our own priorities and motives. To walk humbly is to turn away from our self-reliance and to realize and accept God's sovereignty. Humility comes from focusing not on ourselves, or even on humility at all, but rather setting our sights on the things above (Colossians 3:1-4).
Perhaps one of the most important things I've learned throughout our exchanges these last few weeks is that in order to live out Micah 6:8, my heart needs to be in the right place first. This really struck a chord with me. Unlike my parents, teachers, and coaches, pleasing God requires a change in heart and attitude--NOT just actions. I am able to excel in school and please others without having my heart behind it, but I cannot do the same with God. My actions alone will not help me live out God's will. I need a change of attitude. One verse that you shared really stood out for me: "Search me, O God, and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." (Psalm 139: 23-24) Thus I will continue praying that God would transform my heart, and that my actions may follow as a result.
Dear God, I ask that You transform my heart and give me a willingness to follow You, regardless of the circumstances. Help me to live out Micah 6:8--to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with You, that I may please You, because I know that Your will is greater than my own.
Dear friend,
Amen and amen! May you and I have a lifetime of a willingness to follow the Lord, even at great personal sacrifice or cost, and may our attitudes reflect our love for and commitment to the One who is greater that we. It is such a delight to work with you!
Now that we have finished discussing Micah 6:8, I decided to share with you some of the things that I learned, and to summarize the main idea of the verse.
As an individual, I tend to place a lot of importance on pleasing people. My actions are geared toward satisfying my role models/authority figures because I know they have my best interest in mind. I get good SAT scores for my parents, turn in homework for teachers, and make my time intervals for my coach, but oftentimes I forget what's most important: pleasing God. But, what exactly does it mean to please God? How can I live out His will?
Luckily, thanks to your help, I have discovered that the Bible gives us the perfect outline for this in Micah 6:8: "He has shown you, O mortal, 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".
God has given us three main commands to shape our lives as believers: act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.
Acting justly means being fair to others and having a Biblical sense of morality. God is fair in punishing us sinners with Hell if we choose to reject His salvation. "For we know Him who said, 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' and again 'The Lord will judge His people'." (Hebrews 10:30) Not only are we to treat other people justly according to the Word, but also we are to do what is right. Acting justly also means that we do the right thing even when it is easier to sin. This requires listening to the Holy Spirit within you and letting Him guide your actions.
Loving mercy means is choosing to forgive people of whom you have the ability to resent. As we discussed, Jesus exemplifies this perfectly in His conversations with the woman caught in adultery and the woman at the well (John 8:1-11; John 4:1-42). It was within His power to condemn these ladies, yet He showed them mercy and offered them forgiveness for their sins when the other bystanders were so quick to judge and shame them.
Walking humbly with God requires us to honestly assess our own priorities and motives. To walk humbly is to turn away from our self-reliance and to realize and accept God's sovereignty. Humility comes from focusing not on ourselves, or even on humility at all, but rather setting our sights on the things above (Colossians 3:1-4).
Perhaps one of the most important things I've learned throughout our exchanges these last few weeks is that in order to live out Micah 6:8, my heart needs to be in the right place first. This really struck a chord with me. Unlike my parents, teachers, and coaches, pleasing God requires a change in heart and attitude--NOT just actions. I am able to excel in school and please others without having my heart behind it, but I cannot do the same with God. My actions alone will not help me live out God's will. I need a change of attitude. One verse that you shared really stood out for me: "Search me, O God, and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." (Psalm 139: 23-24) Thus I will continue praying that God would transform my heart, and that my actions may follow as a result.
Dear God, I ask that You transform my heart and give me a willingness to follow You, regardless of the circumstances. Help me to live out Micah 6:8--to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with You, that I may please You, because I know that Your will is greater than my own.
Dear friend,
Amen and amen! May you and I have a lifetime of a willingness to follow the Lord, even at great personal sacrifice or cost, and may our attitudes reflect our love for and commitment to the One who is greater that we. It is such a delight to work with you!
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