The Micah Call

“He has showed you, O man, 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.” Micah 6:8

Read the rest of the passage here.

What’s it all about? This one verse in the Bible that seems so small, but which we say means so much. Bear with us through this short explanation, until we get to the end for the answer…

The truth hurts…

As a Christian charity, we believe that the world was… “subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” Romans 8:20

What does that mean?

The Bible tells us that God is our creator, and mankind is the created being – a God-like being with a nature different to that of the animal kingdom. Humans have tried to run their own lives, making the decision of what is right and wrong without Gods input – this is sin. Because of this rebellion, the judgement, or curse,that God placed upon the world means that the world is passing away, dying, falling, decaying and will ultimately be destroyed! Extreme, yes, but true, as we see nature causing havoc, people causing war and our own lives being subject to illness and death.

Where’s the sense in that?

So God has judged and will destroy the earth – is that it? No, because God is a loving God, he doesn’t want us to die, but to be saved to live eternal life. He has judged the world as wrong, like a parent disciplines a child’s wrong actions, in order to show us the right path to take. We have a choice, to follow what is right, or carry on in what is wrong. To choose what is right is to receive eternal life – but what is this life?

“…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10

What this eternal life looks like is what Christianity is all about – and it starts with Jesus. Colossians 2:9 says of Jesus Christ: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” Jesus the Son of God, (God in the image of man), came to the earth and was subjected to everything that we will ever be subjected to – and yet as a person he chose not to run life his own way, but to follow God, His Father in Heaven. When humans killed Him, as an innocent person His death took the place of sinful mankind’s deserved punishment. The price of human death was paid by the eternal God, in the person of Jesus.

Christianity teaches because of God’s Son and his death for us, we can be guided by the Father in heaven, through His Holy Spirit. As we recognize our mistake in following our own ways, we can come to God and receive life from death because He died instead of us and he rose again. This life is for now and we can find peace in living in God’s creation as we were designed to. It is also for the future when, the Bible tells us all things will be made new, the dead will rise again to live eternally in a real, restored, perfect creation.

He has showed you O man, what is good…” the most exciting part!

So creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed? Yes – because living as a child of God means living a life which will bring Eternal Life to this world and the people in it . How sad it is when a tyrant gets his hands on power to rule over a country – how obvious the greed and destruction that occur when a humans want their own way. But when humans start acting like creation is theirs to steward and keep, and be responsible over, love, peace, justice, right living, prosperity and salvation for the earth will happen now, and one day in the future, all creation will be restored to be what its meant to be. Often known as the Kingdom, sometimes known as heaven, life begins now. We want to live in the light of our status as God’s creation, taking up our responsibility over the world and the people in it.

How to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly…

We are all given different gifts and abilities. Some are called to share the news of Salvation through words; others are called to help the poor; some are called to both. Some are good in government; others are kind to those who need kindness. Some are working to right injustice in the world; others encourage us to be environmentally friendly. What’s your way?

This organisation wants to enable people to walk in their own way before God, not just encouraging people to act for the poor. If you DO feel called to help the poor, our projects could be one way you can act now, otherwise…

“Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17