Micah 6:1-8 (NRSV)
Read Micah 6:1-8 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 6Hear what the Lord says: Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. Verse 2Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for the Lord has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel. Verse 3"O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me! Verse 4For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Verse 5O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised, what Balaam son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the Lord."
Verse 6"With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Verse 7Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" Verse 8He 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?
Devotion
Among my favorite parts of collegiate science courses was the exercise book and its accompanying answer guide. I balanced equations and evaluated on paper how much of which substance to add in an experiment before heading into the lab. The answer guide was there to let me know if I was on the right track, if I had approached the answer a different way, or needed to try again.
Verse eight of today's reading is perhaps the most well-known portion from the prophet Micah. However, it is important to notice that it is the summary response to a series of questions God poses to help God’s people consider what is expected of them. God concludes that in matters of faithful living, if you'd like to know if you're on the right track, if you're approaching the answer from a unique perspective, or need to try again, verse eight is the "answer guide" to all the previous questions: "to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."
Prayer
God, with your help I will do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with you. When I need to try again, forgive me. Above all, help me toward the right track, blessing me to serve your people. In Christ's name I pray. Amen.