What God Requires

As preacher I read a lot of religious items and many of them are all about rules we must all obey. The lists are long depending on your particular religion. Some of us seem to need a list of rules to make our lives function. Others want a free flowing life style but still needs an idea of where we are going. The bible provides both lots of rules and a general path through life.

You can find rules for almost everything in the Bible many of them human rules for obeying the Ten Commandments. Some say the reason there are only ten commandments is that God didn't use a committee and Leviticus and Deuteronomy are the committee reports.

 This morning my devotions took me to Micah 6:8 which read in the NIV “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” That short verse actually sums up the entire list of rules. Instead of noting must do details it lays out relationships with God and one another.

1.     To act justly: In your dealing with others always do what ever in right in that relationship.

2.     To love mercy: Again in relationships be kind to one another in word and deed.

3.     To walk humbly with God: This pulls the other two in to focus as we recognize our relationship with God in everything we say and do.

I strive to let this verse be my guide in daily living loving God and loving my neighbor in all my actions and relationships.