What the Lord Requires

What the Lord Requires || Micah 6:8 || Sis. Carolyn J. Satcher

8 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?

What the Lord requires of us is all good, to do justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with him. Doing justly simply means being fair to the brethren. In the Bible justly refers to acting in accordance with righteousness, fairness, and moral integrity. It emphasizes the importance of justice in behavior towards others, reflecting God’s character and divine justice.

God is merciful to us therefore we should not be unmerciful to others. When we say that God is just, we mean that he is perfectly right in His treatment of his creatures. God shows no partiality. Justice was satisfied once and for all when God sent his son into the world to save our souls. Justice insists that once a sin has been paid for, it cannot be brought up again. God is just, and His justice is an indispensable part of His character in the same way that His love and mercy are indispensable. We could not respect a God who was not just.

Deuteronomy 32:4 says “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice.” In the Garden of Eden, God told Adam and Eve that they could eat from any tree except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. However, the devil tempted them and they disobeyed Him. Sadly, sin corrupted the perfect design of God and they became fallen humans destined to die. He did something remarkable. While He told them the punishment for their sins as a just God, He also announced His plan to save them as a merciful God.

When God asked Cain about Abel, he answered: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Being just, God told him his punishment for the murder of his brother. Cain said that the punishment was “too great to bear” and that he may be killed by someone else, God showed him mercy. He placed a mark on Cain so that anyone who found him wandering would not kill him. Isn’t that just and merciful? Last but not least the Rev. Jessie Jackson was a man with an unwavering belief in justice for all.

Prayer: Father God in the name of your son Jesus, thank you for being a just God and for being so merciful to us, even though we don’t deserve it. Please help us to show justice to others as they show justice to us. Help us to walk humbly before thee that others might see our good works and glorify you which is in heaven. Amen.