Day 7: What is good
He has shown you, O mortal, 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 (Micah 6:8).
Our Father in heaven, exalted God, with what shall we come before You and bow down before You? (Micah 6:6). We can bring You no outward gifts that are of worth—You do not delight in sacrifice... You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings (Psalm 51:16).
It is not our religious observances that You seek, but hearts that are willing and obedient: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22).
You look for hearts that seek after You—hearts that seek after Your will and Your way: For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6). You look for hearts that do what You require of us—what You have shown us to be good—To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).
O Lord, help us, give us wisdom and discernment! We live in a world, and in an age where justice and mercy are not only perverted and denied, but are often exploited and manipulated for the agendas and politics of one group or the other.
Teach us to listen to the truth of Your word instead of the voices of clamor and discord. Remind us that Your kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). Teach us to invest in the decisions, the attitudes, and the actions that yield results for Your kingdom. Teach us the pure and merciful love of Christ.
Remind us that righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne (Psalm 89:14). Remind us that The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His unfailing love (Psalm 33:5).
Teach us to embrace what is good—justice, mercy, humility—in place of what is hostile and divisive. Let Yours be the cause we stand for in defense of the fatherless and the widow, the foreigner and the weak, the afflicted and the oppressed, the poor and the needy (Deuteronomy 10:18; Psalms 68:5, 72:4, 82:3; Proverbs 31:9; Isaiah 1:17, 23, 29:21; Jeremiah 5:28, 22:16).
You alone are God. You alone are the Righteous Judge of all the earth (Genesis 18:25). Give us the wisdom to discern popular views that contradict the truth of Scripture. Give us the courage to reject earthly "wisdom" that sets itself in the place of God. Teach us instead, to pray like the psalmist, In Your majesty ride forth victoriously in the cause of truth, humility and justice; let Your right hand achieve awesome deeds (Psalm 45:4).
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