Beginning the Journey With Love

Micah 6:8~ “He has told you, O mortal, 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?”

The prophet Micah was a very young man of modest means from a rural town in the Southern Kingdom of Judah. God gave him prophetic words to speak to the elite city dwellers in Judea and the Northern Kingdom of Israel. What an audacious position for this young prophet. Though he was an insider as a descendant within the 12 tribes of Israel, he was an unexpected voice from the margins speaking against corruption, idolatry, and other practices that hindered the common good. Micah rebukes unjust leaders and defends the rights of the poor against the powerful and wealthy as he speaks forth hope about a world at peace under the just leadership.

Throughout the Old Testament of our Bible, scripture exposes historic misbehaviors among people in the mistreatment and/or neglect of vulnerable populations; addresses abuses of power and privilege and warns of the consequences of departing from God’s guidance. Television dramas pale in comparison to the lived experiences the Old Testament offers. With destruction looming because of rampant disobedience among the people, Micah spoke God’s warnings and redirected the people to a simple message that applies today.

I encourage you to take the time to carefully read the whole Book of Micah. Particularly, Micah 6:8 states, “He has told you, O mortal, 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?”

Let’s not sugar-coat the conditions of this day. Our world is a hairball of tangled conditions accumulated over generations that are killing generations. Because of the layers and tangles, underlying conditions at the core of this massive mess are covered with active threads carefully interwoven to maintain the shape of things present. But we have the blessed opportunity to help shape things to come. This is Micah’s point! Regardless of what has been or what is, the LORD simply requires that we do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God. 

What God requires is not complicated. However, it will take courage and intentional effort to cut through and see to the core of our global, local, and even personal conundrums. In 2020, our world has been slowed so we may more clearly see our reality. If we are not willing to see--to identify and acknowledge--problems (and there are many with human-created complexities), we cannot/will not pursue effective remedies.    

While economic, educational, housing and healthcare disparities, profiling, inequitable sentencing, and other injustices may not seem to be your issue, you are impacted by the diminished progresses we could already have made and the hindrance of present structures to possibilities ahead. God has far greater plans for this world than what we have experienced or imagined so far. There is a marvelous journey ahead if we will simply do what our God requires of us.

In September, the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church will begin a Pilgrimage to the Land of Love. Please visit mtnskyumc.org/pilgrimage for full details and to join the journey. This is not limited to United Methodists; all are welcome. I pray that you will join me and invite others to the journey as we pray, watch/read/listen and reflect daily, dialogue weekly (Sun 6pm) and do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God in all aspects of our being. I look forward to our pilgrimage together. For the changes to come within us and among us, to God be the glory!