What Can We Do For God?

Obedience

I've been invited to speak in church on the topic of obedience. It is a challenge to teach about this topic and not make the congregation feel guilty when you are done.  I hate sitting in church and feeling like the speaker is hoping to guilt me into changing my ways.  Guilt is not a very good motivator, I think it might bring about temporary desires to change, but for the long term I think love is a much better motivator.  So, how am I going to mix love and obedience to get the desired results? I really don't know yet, but it should be fun finding my way!

One possibility is the question: What can we do for God? 

I like this question because it leads to our desire to do something in response to God's goodness in our lives. It also leads me to the thought: What does God expect of me?

This is a question that has been around a long time. There is a story in the book of Micah in chapter 6 about a time when the Lord was not pleased with His people. First , God calls them out. "O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me. (Micah 6:3) 

Next, the Lord reminds the people of the good things He has done for them: "For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam." (Micah 6:4). 

This leads to the people trying to figure out what the Lord expects of them. This is what they come up with in verses 6-7: 

"Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?"

"Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"

Watch out all you firstborns! Give up your firstborn, really? It appears that they are bargaining for forgiveness.  Did you notice that they started with bowing before God and one verse later they are offering their firstborn? It is obvious that these people had lost touch with their God.

Then comes some words of wisdom: "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)

I love the words "He hath shewed thee, O Man, what is good..." God ALWAYS gives us the steps we need to fulfill what he asks of us.

Did you catch the three things that the Lord does require of us: do justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him.  

These three warrant a little more research, but I have an impatient husband waiting for a haircut, so it will have to be another time. Something to look forward to!