What is required of you?

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. Micah 6.8 

Once upon a time, possibly around 750-725? B.C., there was a prophet from a little town in southern Judah. His name was Micah. There were other prophets, Isaiah and Hosea, in the region who were proclaiming the judgment of God coming on those who were claiming to be God's people.

It really shouldn't be surprising that the messages had some similarities, after all, they were to the same basic people-group, in the same region, during the same time-frame. The message from Micah dealt heavily with impending devastation of the cities, villages, and inhabitants of Israel and Judah.

While there were many transgressions, the bottom line was that God's people weren't living as God required of His people. The particular sins, in all their variety, weren't as important as the cause.

Micah summed up the requirements - "...act justly," "love mercy," and "walk humbly with your God."

The message from God to those who call themselves "God's people" is still the same. If I am walking with God I will be walking humbly, holding mercy as an ultimate value, and equitably just in all my dealings.

My failings are many and often, but Micah said that God takes great pleasure in forgiving anyone who truly is sorry and wants to change.