One of the attributes of God, is immutability - that God is unchanging in nature. The Bible testifies this fact in many verses like "...but you are the same, and your years have no end" (Psalm 102:27) and "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). We see this unchanging nature even in God’s desire about us.

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When the Israelites were given the commandments in the desert, after their exodus from Egypt, the book of Deuteronomy reveals a loving God, who asks His people to be of a loving nature as Himself (Leviticus 19:18, 34, Deuteronomy 5:10).

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Whenever Israel went astray from the laws of the Lord, there were Men of God admonishing them to correct themselves or to face the impending disasters or enemies as a means for them to get corrected. This has been repeated many times. Thirteen centuries after the Law was given, here in today’s reading, Prophet Micah asks Israel again -"Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?" (Micah 6:7). For Israel the sacrifices have become a mere ritual, while they failed in doing justice, loving kindness and to walk humbly with their God as God desired them to be, thereby being His Light to the world.

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All through these centuries God loved them like a loving Father. At the fullness of time, He sent His only begotten Son to this world to be an atonement for the sins of the world. He was born in Bethlehem as prophesied by prophet Micah (Micah 5:2). Jesus loved the people as His own and taught them and all of us how to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God- by living His life in the way He taught.  The 'Sermon on the Mount' we find in the gospel of Matthew chapters 5,6 and 7 explicitly describes how we can be just, kind, loving and humble both before men and God.

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In the eyes of the world these requirements may look much more stringent than the old testament commandments and the world may wonder that now in the New Testament times it has become harder to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. Our Redeemer God knew this and with His life on earth He set an example for the whole world and Jesus fulfilled whatever He preached in His own life and He was sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21). He fulfilled all the righteousness required as per the Law, to redeem us, so that today no one has to worry about the sacrifices and rituals (which were a foreshadow of Him and His self-sacrifice on the cross of Calvary).  By His self-sacrifice, which was pleasing to God, He became the atonement for the sins of the whole world (Ephesians 5:2) and He was raised from the dead since death had no power on Him. (Romans 6:4,Romans 6:9).

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Now those who believe in Him will be made right with God by imputing His righteousness on them (Romans 4:24) and they will have the help of the Holy Spirit, sent by the Father for us. The Holy Spirit will lead us in all the truth (John 16:13) and we will be more than conquerors, celebrating our victory over this world by doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with our God, which is exactly what our ever Loving God always desires of us.

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Prayer:

Dear God Your Word says,

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Grant me the grace to do your desire while I live on this earth,

in Your strength.

Amen.