He Hath Shewed Thee
Today’s Verse:
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
There are basic, foundational things that we have learned over the years. These things are so ingrained into us that it is presumed that we know better. As parents and teachers, we are perplexed when something we have ingrained into someone else is not followed or obeyed. We might say, “I taught you the right thing to do!” That’s what God was saying to the people of Judah: “I have showed you what is good.”
We see the dispute.
“Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD'S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.” God’s people were committing treachery with each other. The widows and orphans were not being cared for. The sacrifices and ceremonies were done half-heartedly. Idol worship was being practiced and tolerated. There were dishonest financial dealings with each other, including charging exorbitant interest, fraud, and stealing. The Lord was not acknowledged in worship, and the average believer did not have a walk with Him.
We see the displeasure.
“O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.” God asked them, “What did I do to you so that you are living lives that are far from Me?” God was perplexed with His people. He reminds them of how He delivered them and cared for them. He reminds them of their past failures and how He forgave and restored them. “What did I do wrong to you?” God was not pleased with His people. They called Him “Father” but did not honor Him as a Father. They brought less than their best when it came to their sacrifices. We can get used to living so far below God’s standard of holiness that we become indifferent to our bad practices and ungodly living and are oblivious that we are displeasing God.
We see the demand.
“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?” God requires of us to be just in our dealings. Be fair, equal, and above reproach. God requires that we are merciful just as He is merciful to us. This includes having pity for everyone who is in need. It means doing things for others, even if they do nothing for us. It means having a spirit of meekness and forgiveness, especially for those who are disrespectful and hurtful to us. Most of all, we are to walk humbly with our Lord. We must be void of pride. We must have long seasons of prayer. We must have faith in God in everything.
We see the discipline.
“The LORD’S voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.” The rod is the symbol of chastening and discipline. If we do not do good, God will cause us to go through the painful experience of chastening to correct us. When we do not give God our attention, He has His way of getting our attention. Be careful that friendships, indifference, pride, and success do not make us negligent about doing that which is good. God has showed us what is good. To know good and not do it is a sin. Let’s do good and please the Lord.
Have a consecrated God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Isaiah 49-53