Micah 6:8 What does God require of us?

Be Humble Walking

Micah chapter 6 verse 8 is in the top 5 of my favorite Scripture verses of all time. I daresay that it’s a perfect single verse of scripture—it’s timeless, instructive, direct. It is complete in and of itself memorable and punchy and so edgy. God and the prophet are fed up with faithlessness. They are sick of God’s people claiming that they don’t know what they’re supposed to do, wringing their hands about the great mystery of God’s expectations. Feigning ignorance. Or worse—God’s people know exactly what is required of them and they are trying to pull one over on God by saying one thing while doing another. Well the Lord has a beef with you, says Micah. You’ve broken your side of your covenant with God. So rise and plead your case, you who call yourselves people of faith. The mountains and the earth will be the witnesses and you are called to account for yourselves. God gives evidence first in this courtroom drama. God recites all the things God has done to uphold the covenant—that part where God said “I will be your God.” God delivered them from slavery. God gave them leaders. God saved them from people who wanted to curse them, like King Balak of Moab. God got them across the river Jordan. In other words, says God, I gave you: freedom, leadership, protection, and a way where there was no way. I gave you life and a future and provided what you need. Why, then, do you continue to be greedy? Why have you taken land and houses that weren’t yours? Why have you exploited the poor? Why do you let the vulnerable suffer? Why have you who have power used it for your own profit? And why have you, who claim to be religious leaders, made worship into an empty, hypocritical ritual? Answer me, says God... The Rev. Rebekah Close LeMon is the senior pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church