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My Title:
The Will of God simply stated
September 24,
2007
KEEP IT SIMPLE
by Charles R. Swindoll
Micah 6:6-8
Micah isn’t exactly a household word. Too bad.
Though obscure, the ancient prophet had his stuff together. Eclipsed by the much more famous
Isaiah, who ministered among the elite, Micah took God’s message to the
streets.
Micah had a deep suspicion of phony religion. He
saw greed in the hearts of the leaders of the kingdom of Judah, which prompted him to warn
the common folk not to be deceived by religious pretense among nobility. In true prophetic
style, Micah comforted the afflicted and afflicted the comfortable. He condemned sin. He
exposed performance-based piety. He championed the cause of the oppressed. He predicted the
fall of the nation. And he did it all at the risk of his own life.
But Micah didn’t just denounce and attack, leaving
everyone aware of the things he despised but none of the things he believed. Like rays of
brilliant sunlight piercing charcoal-colored clouds after a storm, the prophet saved his best
words for a positive message to the people, and I am pleased to say that he did it with
simplicity: “With what shall I come to the LORD and bow myself before the God on high? Shall
I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves? Does the LORD take delight in
thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my
rebellious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” (Mic.
6:6-7).
Micah’s words state exactly what many, to this
day, wonder about pleasing God. Teachers and preachers have made it so sacrificial . . . so
complicated . . . so extremely difficult. To them, God is virtually impossible to
please. Therefore, religion has become a series of long, drawn-out, deeply painful acts
designed to appease this peeved Deity in the sky who takes delight in watching us
squirm.
Micah erases the things on the entire list,
replacing the complicated possibilities with one of the finest definitions of simple faith:
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do
justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic. 6:8).
God does not look for big-time, external displays.
He does not require slick public performances.
What is required? Slow down and read the list
aloud: to do justice . . . to love kindness . . . and to walk humbly with your God.
Period.
Faith is not a long
series of religious performances or a pile of pious things.
All God asks for is simple faith.
Adapted from Charles R. Swindoll, Day by Day with
Charles Swindoll (Nashville: W Publishing Group, 2000). Copyright © 2000 by Charles R.
Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
This piece came from Chuck's website daily devotional. I commend the website and writings of this man of
God & of great attitude! On this...my...website, note this item about God's will.
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(posted 24 September 2007)
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