It's MY Life

There’s a book (by Po Bronson) called, “What Should I Do with My Life?â€?  The whole focus of the book is not to give advice on how we should change our lives to be happy. It’s filled with the stories of people who “of those who actually took action, changed their lives, and enjoyed or suffered the consequences.â€?  It’s about how they faced their own identity, and learned to ignore the urges of the world to be someone they are not.

 

For example:

• A mother torn between an Olympic career and her adolescent daughter.

• The Cuban immigrant who overcame the strong disapproval of her parents and quit her lucrative career to go into social work.

• The OB/GYN physician who walked away from her lifelong “destiny� of being a doctor and was trying to make sense of it all.

• A high-powered IT saleswoman who gave up the certainty of salary to be a massage therapist because she missed a close connection with people.

 

So much of the time, as we think about who it is that we should be – or should have been – we end up looking back to discover who we really are.

 

This is the situation that the prophet Micah sought to address as he brought the Lord’s word to the people of Israel. A controversy exists between the people of Israel and Yahweh, their God. The controversy seems to start with the Israelites’ exaggerated sense of the complexity of worshiping God, on the one hand, and an unwillingness, on the other hand, to acknowledge the unyielding and comprehensive demands of righteousness that form the basis of true faith.

 

Put in a simpler way, it’s like this: they were very much into the rituals of their faith, but not willing to take the second step into truth righteousness. 

 

They were faithful church-goers, but not faithful disciples.  Micah was sent to remind the people of their purpose in life:  God was saying, “It’s MY life, and it should be LIVED!â€?

 

What’s the answer? Simplify the way you live – don’t make things so hard.

 

The people of Israel had not been keeping it simple. They clung to their relationship with God as His chosen people, and they filled their days with the rituals of their religion.

 

Their offerings to God were simply the fruits of their frantic labor, much like those of us who believe that if we can just do enough – if we can just give enough, work enough ... then our God, our boss, our families, our friends will finally be pleased with us.

 

But Micah comes to set things straight: “What really matters?â€? he asks.  The way the text puts it is, “What does the Lord require of you?â€?

 

Here’s what really matters in God’s sight: the relationship with have with Him, and the relationship we have with each other – relationships that have nothing to do with money, social status, or any other earthly division.  Three simple things sum this up: “…[doing] justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with our Godâ€? (6:8 NIV).

 

When we reach the final Day of Judgment, the conversation with the Lamb will not be about how well we set ourselves up for perfection, or how well we kept up with the rituals.  It will be how much we LOVED.  Have we simply loved people enough to act justly, to be kind, and to give ourselves over to walking humbly with God and following God’s lead in our lives?

 

It’s a simple question, but it represents the hardest work we’ll ever be called to do. Keep in mind that the Bible spends a lot of time teaching about the importance of people who live on the boundaries – the people who often are the hardest to love.

 

Micah’s words remind us that life can be simple if we’ll only be willing to make some hard choices — if we’ll choose to love God and others and let the rest take care of itself.

 

How does this play out in our life as a church?  Here are some ideas, taken from a 2001 TV special called, “Answering Micah’s Call:â€?[1]

 

§   At Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, the Rev. James Victor, who is an associate pastor, and volunteer Anna Davenport show how faithful and committed individuals work in ministries for justice and healing, and how Ebenezer partners with other Micah 6 congregations.

 

§   The Rev. Bradley Schmeling, pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Atlanta, helps build relationships around advocacy work, asking the tough question, “Who’s not here (around the table)?â€?

 

§   At First Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, the Rev. George Wirth, pastor, and the Rev. Charles Black, an associate pastor, feed the hungry through volunteer Meals on Wheels programs.

 

§   The Rev. Dr. Earl McCloud, pastor of First African Methodist Episcopal Church, Atlanta, works at a prison ministry that builds relationships within the community.

 

All of these ministries combine the biblical mandate to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God into programs that reach into the community while at the same time building up the strength of the congregation.

 

That’s what God requires:  when God reminds us that the life he has given each of us is HIS life, we should spend it in a way that is worthy of His calling.

 

Remember the Lord’s grace in your life, and extend it to others. It’s a simple way to honor God and walk humbly with Him all at once.

 

Sources consulted:

“My Life,� Homiletics Magazine, January 2005.

National Council of Churches Web site

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[1] “CBS-TV special features four Atlanta churches ‘Answering Micah’s call,’� June 21, 2001, National Council of ChurchesWeb Site, Ncccusa.org.