What Am I to Do?

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8)

“How shall we come before the Lord?” was the question God’s people asked the prophet, Micah, in verse six. He replied that God had already shown them not only “how to come” but what God required and how to accomplish it. Could it be they thought or hoped God changed His mind of what He required? If they did, they were wrong.

Before God’s chosen people entered the Land of Promise, Moses asked and answered the question, “What does the Lord your God require of you?” They were to fear God, live a life pleasing to Him, love and serve Him with all their heart and soul, and obey His commandments and decrees—for their good (Deuteronomy 10:11–13).

Jesus said that all the law and what the prophets spoke “hang” on two commandments: Love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37–40). We are God’s chosen people, and He has shown us what is good—that which is profitable for us and pleasing to Him. Keep His commandments and benefit the blessings or disobey and await the consequences.

God’s directive has not changed: Do what is right; embrace and extend mercy; and do everything covered in love for God and one another. But you cannot fulfill God’s requirements unless you belong to Him. To join His family, admit you are a sinner, ask God to forgive your sins through the shed blood of Jesus, believe that He died and rose again, invite Jesus into your life, and submit to His authority. Only then can we walk humbly with our God.