Our scripture this morning is Micah 6:6-8.
With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O mortal, 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.
In this passage the prophet Micah engages the people with a question regarding sacrifice and sin. Sacrifice was intended to be an outward sign of devotion to God, instead the people used it as a “get out of jail free” card. This is works salvation rather than faith salvation, “if we just do this God will forgive us.” Faith and a loving connection to God should energize our work as a response to what He has done for us.
In 1 Samuel 15:22 King Saul is told “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” God wants a relationship with us and wants to forgive our sins because of who He is, but we must repent sincerely and strive to do better.
Our faith and our works are intricately connected, but there is nothing we can do to save ourselves. Christ’s sacrifice for us is the final word, now we are to give our lives to God, acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with Him.
Loving Lord, in Your mercy You made a way for us to be saved from our sin. Bless us to share Your love with all the world. Amen.
