Draw Close to God
“What Is Jehovah Asking Back From You?”
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WHAT does Jehovah expect from those who want to
worship him acceptably? Does he demand perfection, thus making it
impossible for us imperfect humans to please him? Or does he expect only
what is within our reach? The answers to those questions are vital if
we are to find joy in serving God. Let us examine how the prophet Micah
summed up God’s requirements.
“He has told you . . . what is good.” We
do not have to guess what God expects of us. He has told us, plainly
outlining his requirements in the Bible. What God asks of us “is good.”
It could not be otherwise. “God is love,” so he has our best interests
at heart. (1 John 4:8; 5:3) Heeding his requirements is not only pleasing to him but also beneficial to us.
“What is Jehovah asking back from you?” Does
God have the right to ask back anything from us? Of course he does! We
owe him obedience as the Source and Sustainer of life. (Psalm 36:9)
What, then, does he ask back from us? Micah sums up God’s requirements
with three phrases. The first two principally involve our dealings with
fellow humans, and the third involves our relationship with God.
“Exercise justice.” The Hebrew word for
“justice,” according to one reference work, “involves right and fair
relationships in the community.” God asks us to treat others according
to what is right and fair by his standards. We exercise justice by being impartial, upright, and honest in our dealings with others. (Leviticus 19:15; Isaiah 1:17; Hebrews 13:18) When we act justly toward others, they may be moved to act justly toward us in return.
“To love kindness.” God asks us not merely to show kindness but to love it. The Hebrew word rendered “kindness” (che′sedh)
may also be rendered “loving-kindness” or “loyal love.” Says one Bible
scholar: “Love, mercy, and kindness are inadequate translations of [che′sedh];
it is no one of these virtues, but all of them together.” If we love
kindness, we show it willingly; we find pleasure in helping those in
need. As a result, we experience the happiness that comes from giving.
“To be modest in walking with your God.” In
the Bible, the phrase “to walk” means “to follow a certain course of
action.” We walk with God by following the life course he has outlined
in the Bible. We need “to be modest” in pursuing such a course. How so?
When we are modest before God, we realistically evaluate our position
before him and recognize our limitations. Therefore, “to walk modestly
with” means to have a realistic view of what he requires and of what we
can give.
Thankfully, Jehovah never requires more than we can give. He is pleased with our best efforts to serve him. (Colossians 3:23) He understands our limitations. (Psalm 103:14)
When we, with due modesty, learn to accept them as well, we can find
joy in walking with him. Why not learn how you can begin walking with
God? Such a course brings rich blessings from him.
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