Action

Reading Amount:

Micah 6:1-16

Central Verse:

He has told you, O mortal, what is

Good;

And what does the LORD require of

You

But to do justice, and to love kindness.

And to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:8 NRSV

Central Truth:

Even today we try to think of ways to make God happy. What we forget is this simple yet tough choice that we are to live and walk with God. That is the primary way that we have a relationship with him not by going to church or fulfilling requirement x, y or z.

Food for Thought: (Questions about the text)

The beginning of the chapter is actually a form of lawsuit in the Ancient East. Listing all the blessings that one side has given, calling witnesses and stating consequences for wrong behavior.

There are three important Hebrew words in this text one is translated as Justice, another is love and the final is humbly. The word for Justice denotes action, this is not passive there is an active part to performing justice involving those who are poor and disenfranchised. "Love kindness" is stronger than it seems this word speaks of deep commitment much the same as we would think in marriage. The final word for humbly speaks more of caution and deliberateness that fully encompasses life.

Connections: (time with our society)

Obsessions are items that permeate all of our lives. For instance I know people who are fans of certain sports teams and it doesn't take long for you to find out who. They have shirts, hats, coats, cups, flags, Christmas ornaments, lawn ornaments and stickers of their teams everywhere (and that's just naming a few things). There are other people where certain activities permeate their whole lives. For instance I am a runner. Not just a runner but a Marathoner. This means I devote a tremendous amount of time to running, not just the act but the planning and learning different forms aspect.

In Micah we get to the heart of what God really wants from us. God wants that same type of obsession that we see others devote to things. God want us to put him and acting for him above all else in our lives. This is not a vain showy type of religious out put, in fact God speaks against that in the proceeding verses stating in essence that he doesn't want the outward stuff. God wants action in our faith. Not to take communion and talk about being good and helping others. But to go and help others reach the poor and helpless and turn their cause around. Action is what we are to have not stagnation.

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