What Does God Want?

What can we bring to the LORD?

Should we bring him burnt offerings?

Should we bow before God Most High

with offerings of yearling calves?

Should we offer him thousands of rams

and ten thousand rivers of olive oil?

Should we sacrifice our firstborn children

to pay for our sins? Micah 6:6-7

IN MICAH 6, it is as if the people of Judah said to God, “What do you want from us?” When they learned that God was not satisfied with the sacrifices they brought to the Temple, they began working through a series of proposals to come up with one sufficient to satisfy the God they suggested was impossible to please. They began with a year-old calf, escalated to thousands of rams, then jumped to the ridiculous ten thousand rivers of oil before suggesting the outrageous offering of a firstborn child. But Micah interrupted, stating simply and clearly what the Lord required. And it wasn’t outrageous sacrifice; it was simple obedience from the heart. “No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (6:8).

This is what God really wants from his people. He wants us to act justly —to do what is right even when it is costly —and to love mercy. God wants us to walk humbly with him. To live in this way is to have the praise of God on our lips and a settled determination to be obedient to God in our hearts. Of course, our children have front-row seats to know whether or not this describes us. When your spouse, a friend, or a family member hurts or disappoints you, do your children see you simmer in resentment? Do they hear you rant about the offense to your friends over the phone? Or do they see that you love to show mercy? Do they see in you that love covers a multitude of sins?

Lord, we will never do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with you perfectly. But we know that Jesus has lived this way in our place and transfers his record of perfect righteousness to all who are joined to him by faith. As he indwells us by his Spirit, we are finding the power we need to do justice, love kindness, and thereby walk humbly in your ways before you, and before ________.