RULES FOR THE UNRULY
We’ve all been there - sitting cross-legged on cold concrete holding the broken pieces of a dream.
Even worse, we may have been the one who welded the mallet.
Our world has crumbled. We have failed again. What do we do?
In our humanness, we tend toward grand, sweeping gestures, big sacrifices and swearing off joy in perpetuity.
But these acts, however sincere, lead to further failure and anger at the God Who we surrendered them to.
Yet God does not ask us to empty our bank account of resolutions to pay-off our debt in one lump sum. Because in doing so, we may get the idea that we can bribe His mercy.
His ask is simple -
“No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good and this is what He requires of you.
Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8 niv
Again, He asks for moment by moment agreement that we are dependent on Him, His ways and under His rule.
It’s not complicated. In fact, He has given it to us in bullet points:
Act justly.
We all know what’s right, deep down. The struggle is in the doing.
Most times we try to reason it away or assign it to someone else.
Life is a series of small responses. Choose to do right. Then do it again and again.
Love mercy.
Mercy is when punishment is deserved, yet withheld.
We all love it when we are the recipients - not so much when it comes to those we loathe.
We become blood-thirsty, demanding payment for the offense that has landed squarely on the shoulders of Jesus.
But let us not forget that the greatest Justice has been served at the cross of Christ and that is cause for great devotion to this ideal.
Walk humbly with your God.
Humility bows its head to the Creator’s authority and wisdom. God created us. Therefore, He has the right to be called Lord of our lives.
We have a choice: Shake our fist at Heaven in rebellious anger, trying to unseat the King of kings or quietly sit at the foot of His throne, grateful for each blessing.
We anxious humans are prone to try to run on ahead of God or drag our feet behind Him.
Instead, He bids us to simply take His hand in faith and live out our purpose, day by day and step by step.
This, God says, is good.