GOD, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?

I was raised on a church pew.  You might even say that all of my early memories are of church services, church people and church picnics...I guess that is what sticks in your mind when you go to church 4 times a week, 52 weeks a year.  That comes to over 4,000 church services, plus dinners, fellowship meetings and revivals, by the time I reached 20 years old.  So you would think I have it all figured out.  Living every day in a way that is pleasing to God; walking around in constant communion, listening intently as I place one foot in front of the other...RIGHT!!!!  But usually, despite my best efforts, I take 2 steps forward, 1 step back and try to figure out...GOD, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?

God must have known (well of course He did) that this was going to be one of those days of "trying to figure it out," because I awoke with the following verse going through my mind:

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

After getting out of bed, I had to quickly read the verse and figure out what God was saying to me. Sure it should have been easy and straightforward but it still helped clarify God's instructions by reading the passages preceding verse 8 to gain an understanding of the whole situation.

We see in verses 1-7, God is just a little "weary" of Israel's attitude and behavior.  In verse 3, He questions, "Oh my people, what have I done to you?"  Then God begins to remind them how He brought them out of Egypt, redeemed them from bondage and gave them Godly leaders.

God continues, "don't you understand, if you want to know my righteousness, you cannot bring enough offerings, pour out enough oil or even give your most precious possessions to rid yourself of sin."

Finally, we are at verse 8...the answer is, DO JUSTLY, LOVE MERCY, WALK HUMBLY WITH GOD!!!

It seems so simple, yet it is probably the hardest thing you will ever do because it means YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL.  And sometimes the JUSTICE thing overwhelms our LOVE OF MERCY. Oh yeah, about WALKING HUMBLY WITH GOD; does that mean I don't get to do anything and everything my way?  YEP!!! PRETTY MUCH!!!

BUT, I like directing events in my life...it is so much easier to just WORK FOR GOD.  Oh the pride I feel when under "THE ANOINTING," the oil just flows and people are blessed.  And the SACRIFICES I make, the things I "GIVE UP FOR THE LORD," how pleased He must be at my selflessness.  God could have made things a whole lot easier if He would just accept my way.

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.

Read TITUS 3:5 and THINK AGAIN!!!  

GOD, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?  Reread MICAH 6:8...DO JUSTLY, LOVE MERCY, WALK HUMBLY WITH GOD!!!