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 (KJV)
God's desires for us are not hard to discern. He wants to bless us with salvation. The incredible gift of his Son is a powerful testimony to this truth. Yet salvation from sin and death is not something he wants to happen in our lives just once. He wants our lives to reflect his salvation daily and to share that salvation with others by the way we live. When we act justly, pursue mercy in our relationships, and honor him with our worship from humble hearts, then God's salvation becomes real in our lives and impacts others with his grace. In the language of Jesus, we work for God's kingdom to come and will be done on earth, and in us, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10).
Almighty and compassionate Father, as I embrace this New Year, help my eyes see what your heart sees. Teach me to hate sin and to be merciful to all who need mercy. Teach me to know truth and act fairly, while hating abuse and exploitation. As I reflect on the great distance between your holy majesty and my inconsistent and flawed character, I ask for the Spirit's help to fashion me to be more and more like Jesus with greater urgency. Make me wholly your child in word, thought, and deed. I pray this in Jesus' name and to become more like him. Amen.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
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—Micah 6:8 (KJV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
God's desires for us are not hard to discern. He wants to bless us with salvation. The incredible gift of his Son is a powerful testimony to this truth. Yet salvation from sin and death is not something he wants to happen in our lives just once. He wants our lives to reflect his salvation daily and to share that salvation with others by the way we live. When we act justly, pursue mercy in our relationships, and honor him with our worship from humble hearts, then God's salvation becomes real in our lives and impacts others with his grace. In the language of Jesus, we work for God's kingdom to come and will be done on earth, and in us, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10).
My Prayer...
Almighty and compassionate Father, as I embrace this New Year, help my eyes see what your heart sees. Teach me to hate sin and to be merciful to all who need mercy. Teach me to know truth and act fairly, while hating abuse and exploitation. As I reflect on the great distance between your holy majesty and my inconsistent and flawed character, I ask for the Spirit's help to fashion me to be more and more like Jesus with greater urgency. Make me wholly your child in word, thought, and deed. I pray this in Jesus' name and to become more like him. Amen.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Continue reading...
