It seems like I have been in school almost the whole 53 years I have been alive. My brother was two years older than I and he did not want to learn how to read, write or do math as my grandparents were attempting to prepare him for kindergarten, so I learned instead. That began a life of learning in one educational environment or another.
In the schools and degrees, I have completed, I have learned that anything worth repeating is worth remembers. I cannot tell you how many teachers, professors, graduate assistants, and administrators have told me that. Even my Navy instructors told me, “If you hear it once, so what. If you hear it twice, remember it because it will be on the test!”
Many people struggle with God’s will for their lives, but only because they have not applied this principle. In Micah 6:8, the prophet, verbally and plenarily inspired by the Holy Spirit, told the people of Israel, “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8, NASB) First, in this verse, Micah says that the people have already been told this truth. Search your concordance and you will not find these words verbatim, but you will find it repeated over and over throughout the Bible in many ways.
First, the Ten Commandments address this concept. Remember the Ten Commandments?
1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol…
3. You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness.
10. You shall not covet…
If you look at the pattern, you see that the first four Commandments deal with walking humbly with your God. The last six deal with doing justice and loving kindness to your neighbor.
Second, Jesus would later say all the law and prophets hang on loving God with all your heart mind soul and strength and loving your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:34-40) Third, a careful study of the Old Testament shows God punished the people when they got either one of these wrong.
What is God’s will for your life? “To do justice, love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.” It is often repeated, you better remember it because it will be on the test. The first and foremost way to walk humbly with God is to submit to the Lordship of His Son, Jesus. This requires admitting to Him that you are a sinner and surrendering to His plan of dying on the cross for you. You must give over control of your life and live out His instructions. When you give your life to Him, you will have passed the test. Remember…if you have ever heard this plan before, you have heard it twice now and it WILL be on the test.