Our scripture this morning is Micah 6:6-8.
With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 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.
The words of Micah 6:8 are familiar to many of us, guidance as important as The Golden Rule and the Ten Commandments. Each of these statements have a specific meaning, but together they define a life lived in and for God. It is important that we understand them as a whole.
Justice is important in any society or relationship. As God is just, so must we be fair in all our dealings. To give mercy is to forgive as God forgives us. Staying in relationship with God enables us to know His purpose for our lives.
If we are honest with ourselves, we realize that we cannot do any of these if the other two are not present in us. God expects us to live them out together. While individual situations may seem to require mercy or justice, it is only by walking with God that we can use them as He intended. A relationship with Him is the basis for everything we do.
Loving Lord, we are grateful for Your kind instruction, showing us the way to salvation through Jesus Christ. Bless us to use the gifts we have been given to go in Your name to make disciples of all the world. Amen.