Micah 6:7-8

How do we please God? According to the prophet Micah, the answer is actually simple: act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him.

Micah cut through all of the God-pleasing practices that were going on at the time and gets right down to the heart of the matter: You want to know how to please God? Don't give Him the usual sacrifices: rams, oil, firstborn children, or even your own body. You really want to please God? Merely act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.

Years later, it'll be said in a different way: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself" (Luke 10:27). Different words, same message: pleasing God is about these simple things: act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God (v.8). Simple, right? Of course, God has spent the years between Adam and Eve and John the Baptist being displeased with His chosen people. They rarely do what He wants. They always complain. They have not acted justly. They have not loved mercy. They have not walked humbly with their God.

Apparently, being told how to please God doesn't make us any more able to do it. And guess what? We proudly continue our ancestors' tradition. Act justly? Love mercy? Walk humbly with our God? This life we're living, if we're honest, is far from the perfection that God requires to be fully pleased.

Many Christians believe that the good news is that Jesus enables them to please God. And He does. But the real good news: Jesus perfectly pleased God for us. God did not tell Jesus, "You are My Son, the Beloved; You will give these others the ability to please Me." No. He said, "You are My Son. With You I am well pleased." For those who are united to Christ and clothed in His perfect robe of righteousness, God is pleased with you.

Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,