Sacrifice

“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? 7Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 8He 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? (Micah 6:6-8)

A few years ago, in our study of Leviticus, we learned that the seemingly brutal and random laws and rituals of animal sacrifices laid out by God through Moses were, in the ancient world, quite merciful and progressive. Instead of a god that required unlimited sacrifice, including that of your firstborn child, the God of Israel set down limits to the sacrificial system. And with it a certainty of peace with the Creator. This assurance of peace was a brand new concept for the ancient world. 

The prophet Micah takes this concept of mercy and peace with God a step further. God requires only justice, kindness, and humility in our walk with the One who brings everlasting peace. While this is much easier than sacrificing a beloved child or lamb, it does require sacrifice all the same. We are required to lay upon the alter a bit of ourselves. In order to fulfill the requirements for peace with God, our pride, our self-centeredness, our fear of speaking out against injustice, our very nature, as fallen creatures, must die.

Easy right?  Actually, this is an impossible requirement for us to accomplish alone. For this reason, God’s Son came to fulfill this requirement on our behalf. By the power of his Holy Spirit we are sustained in this relationship of peace with our Creator. So, with that assurance my friends, go out today and “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God!”

See you Sunday!
Missy