We
left our printed page yesterday, confirming that GOD IS GOOD and we, left to
our own designs, ARE NOT!!!! And since our God is holy and righteous, only
those who are perfect in His sight may stand before him...and I am sure that we
can all agree that NO ONE can stand as perfect, on their own
merit, before a holy God...WE ALL SIN AND FAIL TO MEET THE PERFECT STANDARD OF
GOD....and since God requires that JUSTICE be metered out to each of us based
on what we have done (sinned), we stand accused and condemned before Him.
UNLESS,
we have accepted His free gift of the sacrifice of His one and only PERFECT SON
who bore our sins and paid the price of justice on the cross. Then, what Christ
has done for us, as He stood in our place and paid our sin debt, has satisfied
the justice that God demands. But it is more than that....because justice
demands that the punishment fit the crime and that we get what we
deserve...which in the eyes of God would be eternal separation from Him.
And
that is where God gives us mercy; rather than getting what we deserve as
punishment for our sin, God shows us His mercy and we get not punishment but
rather His great love and his free gift of a righteous and holy Son to take our
place and take our punishment...so, rather than death, He gives us an eternal
love and a dwelling place with Him if we accept His gift and the substitution
of His Son in our place.
So
in the first two requirements, we are to conduct ourselves as God would in the
living of our lives...we are to seek to live fairly and to do what we He would
do which is good and right. We are always to seek to be at peace with
others...and when that is not possible or we have been wronged or taken
advantage of, we are to show His love as we demonstrate His mercy and give what
is not expected rather than meter out punishment for the person who has done us
harm. To be sure there is action involved here...and before we can do, we must
be! We must be like Him in order to walk in a right relationship with Christ
and we must have a loving and forgiving heart like his if we are to truly show
mercy to others.
So
to do what God requires, we must have a relationship with our Father that
starts with a soft and loving heart. We won’t act justly if we harbor
resentment or hate. We won’t show kindness and mercy if we seek to serve
ourselves...and a prideful heart will always walk ahead of God.
Could
these three requirements still apply to you and me today and not just to the
fallen tribes of Israel? Maybe all God
is asking of us is that we continually stand for what is right and just in our
society and in the world that begins at our doorstep. No more let it be said of
us as believers that "social justice is someone else's problem".
After all, we've got our hands full just trying to follow Christ day to day.
But...if we really are trying to follow in His footsteps, don't you think those
footsteps will let us into situations that need some heavenly direction...the
kind that comes from a loving and merciful heart. For a merciful heart will
always choose kindness over contempt, loving action over willful obstinence and
ministry over inaction....though it is not our nature, IT IS WHAT GOD REQUIRES.
And
the last of His requirements...to walk closely to Him, submitting our will
daily to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. God
has set each of us apart to do GOOD WORKS so that others may see that HE IS
GOOD and GLORIFY OUR FATHER....and we cannot accomplish this when we put our
agenda ahead of Christ ....we cannot follow when we walk ahead, trying to do
what we want rather that what God requires...and WHAT DOES HE REQUIRE of you
and me?
Maybe
today you are facing a choice that’s kept you frozen in indecision, I hope that
God’s Word encourages you and removes that doubt as to what He wants and
requires of you.
Maybe
it really is this simple....Act justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly with your God.
Now it's all up to you to choose to do as the Lord requires....trust me, He
will be there to lean on every step of the way!!!
Walking
as the Lord requires....Seeking to bring Him the Glory,
WPQ
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