Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly, and Hope in and Wait on God
As the prophet Micah gives a series of stinging rebukes against the nations of Israel and Judah, he takes a pause for some personal reflection.
As if keeping a journal, he wonders how he should approach God. With reverence, with offerings, with sacrifices? No. That is not what God wants.
God requires something much different, for him to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly.
Then Micah returns to his God-promoted discourse of doom. After a bit more invective, he becomes filled with remorse, saying, “What misery is mine?”
Micah then reflects some more, delving into a depressing bit of introspection, before confidently affirming that his hope is in God; Micah will wait and God will hear him.
So Micah’s personal prescription then becomes to: Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly, and hope in and wait on God.
Works for me.
[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Micah 5-7, and today’s post is on Micah 6:8.]
Learn more about all twelve of the Bible’s Minor Prophets in Peter’s book, Return to Me: 40 Prophetic Teachings about Unfaithfulness, Punishment, and Hope from the Minor Prophets
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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