Q. What is good?
A. He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly, To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 (NKJV)
The world is crying out for goodness! We tire of hearing bad news; news through a public media that makes sensation of scandal, corruption and cover-ups, and presents a gratuitous interest in violence and tragedy. In contrast, God’s commission for us, spoken here through the prophet Micah, is “Goodness”; doing what’s just, loving mercy and walking humbly with God.
When Moses asked the Lord to show him His glory, God responded by saying He would cause His “goodness” to pass in front of Moses; not His glory, but His goodness. (Exodus 33:19). This goodness that the Lord revealed to Moses was expressed as His compassion and graciousness, His slowness to anger, and His boundless love and faithfulness.
It seems that goodness is an aspect of God’s glory that we, as created people, have the capacity to relate to most. There is something about goodness that resonates deeply in our human spirit. Whose heart is not touched by compassion, by humility and by mercy? Each of us acknowledges the rightness of doing justly and of loving mercy. When we see goodness in action we can begin to realise that perhaps it is actually part of the freedom we are made for.
There could be much less breakdown in relationships in all areas of life if we walked in humility and mercy, and in love and faithfulness. And isn’t the cry from so many of us, a cry for compassion and justice, and for the love and faithfulness that give us a place of protection and belonging? The words of Micah answer this cry and bring us, together with those around us, into step with the heart of the Father.
Father God, thank You, You are Good. We need Your goodness. We pray now for ourselves in this land of Ireland. Please forgive us where we have become bitter through conflict, please heal us where we are numbed by trauma, and may you refresh us where we are weary with hopelessness. May Your church do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with You, so that through Your goodness many people will be drawn to You, we pray in Jesus’ Name.