What Does the Lord Require of Me?

 

What Does the Lord Require of Me?


A Call to a Life of Justice, Mercy, and Humility
Theme Verse: Micah 6:8

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee,
but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

Introduction: The Question Beneath All Religion

Behind all the noise of religion—beneath the songs we sing, the offerings we bring, and the doctrines we defend—there lies a question that echoes across every generation:

“What does the Lord require of me?”

This question, asked in Micah’s time, is still our question today. It’s the cry of a heart that wants to be right with God, that wants to know what truly pleases Him. Not what impresses people, not what fits in with traditions, but what God Himself requires.

And God answers—not with mystery, but with clarity:

“He has shown you, O man, what is good…”

There is no confusion here. No hidden agenda. No endless list of religious duties. Just three weighty, transformative, and deeply practical requirements:

Do justly.
Love mercy.
Walk humbly with your God.

This is not a suggestion. It is a divine requirement. And it is the very heartbeat of a purpose-driven life.

1. Do Justly – Let Righteousness Rule Your Actions

To “do justly” is to make righteousness the standard of your decisions and the fabric of your relationships. It is to live in a way that reflects God’s justice—fair, honest, equitable, and protective of the vulnerable.

Justice is not something we merely admire in theory. It is something we must do.

It shows up in how we treat those under our authority, how we speak about others when they’re not in the room, how we respond when we see wrong and are in a position to make it right.

You can tithe faithfully, raise your hands in worship, and attend every meeting—but if your business practices crush the poor, if your home is ruled by domination instead of honor, if you treat your employees with contempt but write a generous check to the church, do you think God is pleased?

The Lord said to the Pharisees:

“You tithe your mint, dill, and cumin, but you have neglected the weightier matters—justice, mercy, and faithfulness.”

This is still the tragedy of our generation: majoring in religious gestures while neglecting the lives we actually live.

To do justly is to stop hiding behind outward holiness while inwardly denying others their God-given dignity. Justice must touch how we manage money, make decisions, raise our children, and treat those who have less power than us.

Let the Spirit search you.
Am I fair with those who serve under me?
Do I speak up when injustice unfolds before my eyes—or do I explain it away?
Is my version of “righteousness” safe for me but costly for others?

True justice doesn’t just demand a clean altar—it demands clean hands.

2. Love Mercy – Choose Compassion over Condemnation

God doesn’t say, “occasionally show mercy.” He says, “love it.”

Loving mercy means that compassion is not a reluctant duty—it’s a joyful reflex. It's choosing restoration over retribution, gentleness over harshness, empathy over judgment.

But mercy costs something. It costs pride. It costs control. It costs the comfort of believing we are better than others.

God told Israel through Hosea:

“I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

Jesus echoed this heart when He sat with sinners, wept over Jerusalem, forgave the unfaithful, and loved those whom religion had written off.

Loving mercy doesn’t mean ignoring sin—it means remembering that we are all sinners in need of mercy. It means refusing to weaponize truth without love. It means not justifying cruelty in the name of justice.

Maybe you have someone in your life who has wronged you deeply. Mercy doesn’t mean trust without accountability, but it does mean you release the right to retaliate. Mercy says, “You don’t owe me anymore because God canceled my debt.”

Or maybe you're harsh with yourself—mercy means allowing God's compassion to touch even the most shame-filled parts of you.

Pause here.
Is my heart quick to accuse, or quick to forgive?
Do I find satisfaction in another’s failure, or do I weep for their restoration?
When I think of mercy, do I see it as weakness—or as the mighty heart of God?

The ones who truly understand mercy are the ones who know how much they’ve received.

3. Walk Humbly with Your God – Surrender Every Step

This third call is perhaps the deepest: not to run ahead in spiritual pride, nor lag behind in shame—but to walk humbly with your God.

Humility is the posture that recognizes:

“I am not the center. God is. I am not the source. He is. I do not lead. I follow.”

This humility is not self-deprecation, but holy dependence. It is living with an awareness that all you are, all you have, and all you do must flow from the One you walk with.

To walk humbly with God means you don’t just invite Him into your prayers—you invite Him into your priorities, your goals, your daily grind.

It also means you don’t treat others as beneath you. The truly humble never need to prove their greatness. They know that greatness in the kingdom is measured in surrender and service, not platform or applause.

Jesus—the King of kings—walked humbly. He submitted to the Father’s will, washed feet, forgave enemies, and took up a cross.

If the Son of God walked humbly, how much more should we?

Let this sink in.
Am I inviting God into my plans, or just asking Him to bless what I’ve already decided?
Do I measure success by the world’s standard or by God’s approval?
Do I need to be seen, or is it enough to be faithful?

Walking humbly is not a spiritual mood. It is a lifestyle of surrendered obedience.

Jesus—the Fulfillment of Micah 6:8

Everything God required in Micah 6:8 was perfectly fulfilled in Jesus:

  • He did justice: lifting the oppressed, confronting corruption, and defending the outcast.
  • He loved mercy: forgiving sinners, healing the broken, and welcoming the unworthy.
  • He walked humbly with God: yielding to the Father’s will even unto death on a cross.

Jesus didn’t just teach this verse—He became it. And now He calls us to follow Him in the same path.

The Final Question: Are You Living What God Requires?

Let us not deceive ourselves. God is not impressed by how much we know, how well we sing, or how busy we are in ministry. He is looking for lives that reflect His heart.

Justice—flowing from truth.
Mercy—flowing from love.
Humility—flowing from surrender.

This is the life He requires. And this is the life that fulfills your purpose.

A Whisper of Surrender

Lord, not my will, but Yours.
Strip away every layer of performance.
Teach me to do justice—not just admire it.
Help me to love mercy—not merely tolerate it.
And draw me into a humble walk, not a hurried religion.
I want to live what You require.
I want to walk as Jesus walked.
Lead me, and I will follow.

 

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