Good!

Good!

He hath shewed 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? Micah 6:8 KJV

The Context and Focus:

When God calls your attention to something, it could be that your current actions have shown that you have forgotten something important, or it could be a reinforcement of what you already know. Whichever one applies, when God speaks, I will do well to listen attentively and then do what I have been told. Micah, who wrote these words, started this chapter with a charge to Israel about its past and present, and the fact that it needed to retrace its steps back to God. When God asks me to consider my past, he wants me to take stock of where I have been, and what He has led me through. There is none of us without a past, however nice or nasty it may be, but the past does not have to overshadow the present, if I can commit it into God's hands. The past is the platform for the great things that God can do in my present and future, but I have to be totally surrendered to God. How can God use my past to shape my present and future if He does not hold all the aces? Can I say of a truth, that God is in complete control of my life? If He does not own it, he can't control it, and if He can't control it, He can't save it.

The Message:

If I will end up with the good that God has planned, the secret lies in knowing this good God and following Him wholeheartedly. Now, one good thing about this good God is that it is His nature to do good. Sin has come in to tamper with the original template, but it has not been able to cancel grace. Even in the face of sin, God's grace will not just let me go. He came looking for me, and would keep holding out his hands for as long as I am alive on this side of eternity. He stands at the door and knocks, waiting for me to open the door of my heart to Him so He can come in and handle the past, whilst securing for me the great and amazing future He has promised. By virtue of this new birth, I come to the place of knowledge of and about God, which then leads to sufficient information to enable me make the right decision. He does not leave me confused or in doubt as to what His standards for life are. By virtue of the power of freewill, I get to choose who I will follow. God will respect my choice, but eternity and its consequences beckon. Where do you want to spend yours?

The Conclusion:

God has made clear what his will, as laid out in the verse above. What God demands will always line up with His will, and these are to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God. All of these things are activities that demand a response from me. I cannot afford to be passive, folding my arms and just content to let things pass over me. What you do is a function of what is in your heart, and your actions are a reflection of your thought life. What you love will always demand time and attention from you, as you would always want to invest time and resources on what you love. In addition to what you do and love,  it is also important to balance it with a walk with God. I must impact lives, and I must also have a living, thriving relationship with God. I must not be so heavenly conscious that I forget to be earthly-relevant. Both are important, because His Word already makes it clear that God has given us all that we need for life and Godliness. God has shown me what He desires, and if I will end right, I have to do right, as defined by God, not by the world. May the Lord help my walk and work to be acceptable in God's sight. God's time of favour is here.