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 [New International Version]
This is probably the most simple and concise prescription for Judeo-Christian living that I have ever read in my life. How did so many of us miss this one? Why have we made things so complicated and downright ugly when Micah had this whole thing figured out ages ago?
I am an independent-minded, critically thinking Christian woman. A lot of people find this self-description to be a bit oxymoronic and honestly, at times I've almost agreed with them. I have been in the "church" my entire life but I am just beginning to understand what CHURCH really means. This little verse near the end of the Old testament has become the framework for my personal theology.
I never really understood why people went to a big ole intimidating building week after week with people that they may or may not like without really understanding why they were even there. By the time I was old enough to decide whether I wanted to keep going to church I knew that I had to do it for the right reasons or I would be torn and confused. Well, I am still kind of torn and confused from time to time but my faith is always restored.
The more I study the Bible the more I find that the reason why so many church folks can't seem to think for themselves is that the "church" has complicated what the Word makes plain and oversimplified those matters which require further examination and reflection. Like every other human dilemma, there must be a lot at work in this issue, historically speaking. I am not sure what is all involved at this point but I am going to keep looking into it. My heart won't let me quit.
More on this great verse later...
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