Walking humbly with God

DAILY BYTE

This week we’ve been looking at how we can live the enlarged lives that the resurrection of Christ makes possible, thereby fulfilling God’s dream for us. Over the last few days we’ve allowed Micah 6:8 to illuminate what that dream of God looks like. It’s a verse that speaks very directly about what God requires of us:
What does the LORD require of you?

To do justice, to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God.

The progression in the verse is very telling. A life without acts of justice (that is, seeking to make right what is wrong) is an empty life, fundamentally diminished from what God both intends and requires of us. But a life of doing justice, without loving kindness, can become a harsh and strident life, lacking compassion and the human touch.

But doing justice and loving kindness is not enough – and certainly is not sustainable in the long term – without an intimate relationship with God. “Walk humbly with your God,” is how the prophet Micah puts it.

Walking humbly with God. What a simple, yet deeply profound insight for enabling our acts of justice and kindness to be rooted in that which will be able to nurture and sustain us over a lifetime.

Walking humbly with God suggests an attitude of openness to being led wherever God chooses to go. It cuts right through our arrogant delusions that we’ve got God all figured out. It invites us into holy mysteries and reminds us that at the heart of it all is a gracious and generously invitation to become traveling companions with God.

Doing justice, loving kindness, walking humbly with God. This is what the LORD requires of us, and is what makes for abundant and significant living.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Lord, I hear the invitation that you graciously extend. I want to say ‘Yes’ to you. Please take my hand as I seek to take yours, and lead me in the paths that you would have me go, so that my life would make a beautiful difference to this world and would be a delight to you. This is my dream, and I trust is your dream too. Thank you Lord. Amen