What Matters To God
BRD REFLECTIONS:
Micah 6:1-16 and Psalm 51:1-19 (NIV)
(Constance Wong, Worship & Music Ministry)
READ:
For this devotion, I have focused on 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.
OBSERVE:
Micah poses a series of questions, listing possible extravagant, costly offerings that he could bring before God. Ultimately what matters most to God are our posture and relationship with Him, and the godly character that flows from walking humbly with God.
To walk humbly with God is to recognize my own insufficiency, submit to God and depend on Him, trusting His love, wisdom and plans every step of the way.
To act justly is to do what is right and fair, not what is convenient or comfortable. It also means standing up for those who need help or who are unable to seek help for themselves.
To love mercy means being merciful to those who wrong us, being kind and patient towards others just as God is merciful to us.
APPLY:
It can be easy to be caught up being ‘busy serving’ and neglecting my relationship with God. I want to be like Mary, who sat at the feet of Jesus, listening to what He said (Luke 10:38-42). As I serve God in different spheres, I must not mistake service for relationship. More than the service I offer Him, God desires me to walk with Him. Fruitful service flows from a relationship with God. When I spend time with God and know His heart, I will desire to act justly and love mercy because this reflects God’s character and God cares about how we treat others.
What is the posture of my heart? Is it one of reverence and submission? Am I merciful and patient towards those around me, just as God is merciful and patient towards me? Do I act justly and do what is right and fair towards others, not just what is convenient or comfortable for me?
DO:
I will make time to be alone with God, to read and reflect on His Word, let God search my heart and speak to me.
I will pay attention to how I treat others, to attend to their needs and make time for them.
PRAY:
Lord Jesus, You came and gave Your life for me so that I may have fullness of life in knowing You. I desire to hear Your voice and walk with You more deeply. I want to be conscious of Your presence in the small and big things of my life. You care how Your people treat others. Help me, Lord, to reflect Your character in the way I relate to others. In Your name I pray, Amen.
