What does God require of you?

Can there be a more important question? Once you determined you believe in God, then this is the next big question. How do I stay on his good side? How do I have a relationship with the Creator of the universe? I think it is interesting how we often define faithfulness and discipleship by what we do during an hour or so a week on Sunday. I am not diminishing that at all, but it is as if we believe if we sing right, do communion right, baptism, prayer, etc. that God will be pleased with us.

The ironic thing is that we love to heap scorn on the ancient Israelites. They thought that if they kept the sacrifices coming, then they were pleasing to God. When confronted with their covenant breaking they responded to Yahweh (and Micah) with this attitude: "With what shall we come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"

Are we so different than them? Do we not believe that if we offer up thousands of prayers, ten thousands of songs, and perfect ritualistic observation of baptism and communion that he will be pleased? Do we not believe that if we are confronted with unfaithfulness that we must immediately address one of these areas?

Yahweh's response: "He has showed you, O' man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

There is great grace in that simplicity of that statement. But don't be fooled; it is easier to simply believe correctly performed rituals is the key to pleasing God than to actually try to live the way he has called us. It is a lot easier to come to church than it is to pick up our cross and follow Jesus. Yet true freedom and life is walking humbly with our God.

Will you walk with me? I stumble often. Maybe we can help each other along the way. God, may you grant us the grace to humbly walk with you and honestly examine ourselves when we place confidence in ritual over you.