Micah 6 - Just Do It!

by Katrina

LINK: Micah 6

BACKGROUND
Chapters 6 & 7 contain Micah's third message to Judah.

Chapter six is one of those chapters that gives us a glimpse into God's heart. He sets up a courtroom scene and then says to His people (Katrina's paraphrase), "What have I done to deserve the treatment you give me? I have done good to you and have shown you mercy. I have revealed Myself to you. Yet you ignore Me and disobey Me. Why?"

Judah's response - "How about if we patch things up with a few sacrifices and get on with life?"

But the Lord is not interested in sacrifices that are meaningless ritual. What He really wants them to do is repent from the heart and change their ways as a reflection of that change. God is not impressed with outward actions that we use to attempt to cover our sin.

So the conversation continues with God spelling out for them one more time what their sins are and how they will be judged for them. God sums up this indictment with the statement that they have degenerated to the very low level of Omri and Ahab.

REFLECTION
Micah 6:8 is an often quoted verse from this book. "He has told you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

When the people of Judah thought they might appease God by throwing a few sacrifices His way, God made it clear that that's not what He was after. He was after changed hearts. This was not something new that they'd never heard before. God had been saying it for centuries. Humble yourselves and repent!! Then you must treat others with justice and kindness.

Although the concept is simple, humility does not come easily to us as humans. It would be easier if we could appease God with sacrifices and be done with it. But that really is a very shallow approach to God. And God won't settle for shallow sacrifices. He wants our hearts!

APPLICATION
Verse eight reminds me of the Nike slogan, "Just do it!" We know what God wants us to do, because He tells us. But we have to humble ourselves and "just do it!" Sometimes God nudges me to do something and I resist. Eventually, I either obey Him or harden my heart toward Him. In the end, I always find out it would have been better to obey in the first place! How about you? Is there anything God has been whispering to your heart for you to do? Just do it!

PRAYER
Thank you, Father, for revealing yourself to us through your word and your Holy Spirit. You invite us to walk humbly with you, and you teach us your ways. Keep our hearts soft toward you to hear your voice and obey you. For your glory, amen.