God's Will For Your Life

One of the most exciting things about being a Christian is knowing that the God of all creation who spoke everything into existence and breathed life into man has a plan for each one of us today. That is a great source of comfort and peace. But sometimes as we get wrapped up in the busy-ness of life while changing diapers that appear to be filled with hazardous waste, washing clothes and folding laundry, washing dishes, packing the kids’ lunches, going to T-ball practice, soccer practice, piano lessons, gymnastics, grocery shopping, mowing the lawn, preparing the next sales presentation, striving for that next promotion, paying the bills, washing the car, remodeling the kitchen, preparing for the garage sale, conference calls with customers, business meetings, football practice, basketball practice, prayer, bible study, worship, and whatever else we do with the spare time we have left, we loose sight of what God’s will is and unfortunately sometimes we even loose sight of God himself. The people of Israel had that problem. They lost sight of God, focused on the busy-ness of daily life, and forgot what was really important. But God, out of His great love, His great mercy, and His great compassion, sent his prophet Micah to refocus the people on what was important and what God’s plan and desire was for them. That is the purpose of Micah 6:1-8. I believe God has preserved this text for us today for the very same purpose, to refocus our attention and priorities.

Please turn with me to Micah chapter 6. The book of Micah is in the Old Testament and is after Psalms, Daniel, and immediately follows Jonah.

Please stand in reverence of God’s Word as we read Micah 6:1-8:

Mic 6:1-8

1 Listen to what the LORD says:

"Stand up, plead your case before the mountains;

let the hills hear what you have to say.

2 Hear, O mountains, the LORD’s accusation;

listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.

For the LORD has a case against his people;

he is lodging a charge against Israel.

3 "My people, what have I done to you?

How have I burdened you? Answer me.

4 I brought you up out of Egypt

and redeemed you from the land of slavery.

I sent Moses to lead you,

also Aaron and Miriam.

5 My people, remember

what Balak king of Moab counseled

and what Balaam son of Beor answered.

Remember [ your journey] from Shittim to Gilgal,

that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD."

6 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?

7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,

with ten thousand rivers of oil?

Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,

the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 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.

NIV

Let’s pray.

Please be seated.

Can you picture this in your mind’s eye? We all have some idea of what a courtroom looks like whether it’s from participating in a trial, visiting a court while a trial is in session, or from one of the various courtroom programs on television. We can all see the judge dressed in a black robe seated behind a large mahogany bench that is elevated above everyone else in the courtroom. To the right is a jury of six or twelve people seated in one or two rows behind a wooden partition three feet high as if to separate them somewhat from the rest of the people participating in the case. Then there is the plaintiff who is the accuser. This is the person bringing the charge. The plaintiff provides witnesses to the events discussed in the case. And finally there is the defendant who is being charged and is offering some defense for his or her actions.

Now that you have the courtroom pictured in your mind lets remove the four walls and move the courtroom into the middle of the Rocky Mountains. We are now participating in the greatest courtroom drama that has ever been imagined. Now the courtroom has no bounds. The Judge in this case is the Almighty God, Creator of all things, our Sustainer, our Provider, our Redeemer, our Rock and our Fortress, who is Holy, knows all things, and is in every moment in time. There is no past or future with God because He is present in all of them. He is also the plaintiff in this case. He has summoned all of creation, the hills, the mountains, the very foundations of the earth, to be witnesses and jurors in this case emphasizing that there is no sin that is hidden and unknown. The charge is being leveled against the defendant who is Israel, you, and I. We have been summoned to appear before God Almighty in the Supreme Court of all creation and God himself is charging the people of Israel and each one of us today for having a lackadaisical attitude towards our relationship with Him!