“He has shown you, O mortal, 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 NIV
This morning I was greeted on the doorstep by another gift from the neighbor’s cat…a headless mouse. He is an outdoor cat, so he kills all sorts of birds and rodents. Why he thinks I want them is a question only he can answer. And he isn’t talking. Still, I would rather that he didn’t leave me these presents. I just don’t want dead critters in the morning.
I wonder if God doesn’t also feel that way about the gifts I try to give him. Does God really want my half-hearted worship, my angry words as I try to correct the driver in front of me, my excuses for why I couldn’t help my neighbor, or my insistence that my way of doing things is the only godly way?
I suspect that some of the things I say I’m doing for God are no more wanted by God than a headless mouse. Micah tells us what God would rather have. God would rather have us act justly, love showing mercy, and walk humbly with our God. I’m going to try to remember that this week. I hope you do, too.
Peace in Christ,
Pastor Mark