What Does the Lord Require of Us?

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?

(Micah 6:8, NKJV)

            I’ve always loved this verse, but lately it’s been rolling around in my heart and mind a lot, stirring up thoughts and feelings I hadn’t considered before.

            First, I’ve been impressed by the opening words: “He has shown you.” That’s God speaking to us, isn’t it? He has shown us. But what has He shown us…and how did He do so?

            He showed us that He requires three things of us: to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with Him. And, of course, knowing that we are unable to fulfill those requirements on our own, He sent His Son to model and live those requirements for us.

            If you consider the life of Christ as depicted in the gospels, I believe you can find that every act or deed falls into one of the three categories of God’s requirements for us. Isn’t that amazing? Another proof that God is righteous and requires righteous behavior from His children, but also another proof that He is merciful and provides a way for us to fulfill those otherwise impossible requirements.

            The next time you read through the gospels, I challenge you to consider each scene of the Savior’s life and ask yourself which of God’s three requirements Jesus models in that scene. I believe it will give you a fresh appreciation for the amazing life of our beloved Lord and Savior during the time He walked this earth.