RE Verse reading–Micah 6:1-8 (day six) “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me.” (vs 3) It is a question that we might ask a spouse or a friend. In moment of tension, we might say “what have I done to? Why are you acting this way?” It rarely elicits a response. The truth is too uncomfortable. In this case, the plaintiff is God and the complaint is against His people. What possible explanation is there for their behavior? Has He been unkind to them? Just the opposite. He has provided for them and been attentive to them. Even so, His kindness has been answered with ingratitude. No good deed goes unpunished. Maybe a pleading God seems weak to you. He is, however, making a point. Our disloyal lives have nothing to do with a failure of His. The truth is deeper (and worse) than we imagine. We are ungrateful people.
I was just thinking about this yesterday. I wept as I drove thinking about the fact that He has loved us so perfectly/faithfully/fully and THE VERY THING He commanded us (besides loving God without which we cannot do this) is to love one another. Yet, it is the very thing we just never quite get around to doing. We substitute activities/actions instead because they are easier/can be controlled and require no humility/honesty.
Loving requires allowing another to have a voice ….even in their imperfection (thus censorship conveys such disdain/disrespect). If we could only always remember that we are ALL the least of these. I think the honest answer to what do you want from me is almost always love/acceptance…. one thing that is clear is that us loving each other is important to God. Yet, unless we can see that God is our only source of Love/Acceptance then we will be unable to ever love others. Father, please help us to comprehend Your Love.
Father, I pray for the reader of this post that you would abundantly Bless them in every aspect of life and I ask that they may be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that they will walk in a manner worthy of You, to please You in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of You; strengthened with all power, according to Your glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to You, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
Father, teach us to love others the way You have loved us. Thank you for your indescribable gift. Amen.