Micah 6:8 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?
Beware of Drifting
Can you think of anyone that you liked two years ago that, quite honestly, you don’t care for now? That’s a terrible but fair question. Aren’t there people from whom you have drifted over time? You may not even realize that you’re not as close as you once were. Like a bottle on the tide, humans are prone to drifting. We’re going one direction or the other at all times. It’s important to know which direction we’re headed, and to go that way deliberately, not by drifting.
Drift often defines our relationship with God as well. If I were to ask you where you are with God right now, it may not be something you’ve consciously thought about recently. You may have drifted and not even realized it. Some people even become sour or cranky with God, and they don’t really realize that it’s happening because it happens over time. While we are often unconscious of where our relationship to God may be, God is always mindful of where He is with you because it’s important to Him. You’re His creation, and it matters to Him.
There are two questions that may help reveal drift in our lives. The first is to ask, “What has God done?” The second is to ask, “What does God want?” These are questions that God invited His wayward people Israel to consider in Micah 6:3. He says, “O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.” How astounding that God asks and allows these people to tell Him why it is that they have soured on Him.
Throughout Micah 6 God reminds Israel of all the things He had done for them that they had forgotten. God gave rescue, leadership, blessing, manna, and mercy. God had also saved them from destruction many times. It wasn’t that God hadn’t done anything for Israel. It’s that Israel didn’t remember or even notice.
The second question is, “What does God want?” God answers that question in Micah 6:8 where the Bible says, “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?” Do you know what God wants from you? You! God doesn’t want what you have. He gave it. God wants you.
Are you adrift? It might be a good time to ask yourself, “What has God done for me?” and “What does God want from me?” Ask God to help you answer those questions. It will make a difference in the way you see God, the way you present God, and the way you perceive the world today.