What does the Lord Require

"With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? will the Lord be please with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my trangression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:6-8)

As I read these verses from Micah this morning I was reminded again that God is not after my performance but after my heart.

This could read, shall I come before him with my perfect attendance at church or my list of volunteer service or my daily Bible reading plan? Saying, in essence, see the sacrifices and the offerings I am giving to You. See all the good things I am doing in Your name.

And Jesus would answer, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength. AND love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:30-31) That is a heart issue.

Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with God - heart issues. Sure there are a couple of action verbs there but they are rooted in the heart, not the feet or hands.

Jesus even went so far as to say, "On that day, many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' " (Matthew 7:22-23)

Why did He not know them? Because their HEART did not belong to Him. (Mark 7:6) Do I know that my heart belongs to Jesus? Yes, I do. How? First, because I have seen the changes He has made in my life, the wants and desires and speech and thinking and attitudes. But mostly because Jesus is enough. He sustains me and encourages me and guides me and comforts me and teaches me. No matter what this world throws at me - good or bad, Jesus is enough for each day. "Give us this day our daily bread." Jesus is the bread of life for me.