What Is a Man?নমুনা

Created for the LORD

Today's verse is one of those perfect little “snapshot” verses that says an awful lot in a very short space (John 3:16 is another excellent example—the whole Gospel in a nutshell!).

But in today’s verse, we get a short, snappy, clear picture of the answer to a question we should all care about:

What does God want of us?

Through the prophet Micah, God tells men what He wants them to do:

1. To do justice (to be obedient, to act uprightly, to right wrongs, to defend those in need);
2. To love kindness (both God’s kindness towards us and the kindness that we extend to others);
3. To walk humbly with our God (to have a posture of humility as we actively engage with and journey in relationship with the Lord).

Undoubtedly, much more could be said about these three things, but it is the last one that has our attention today.

Back to God’s original design for us, we were created to walk with God in the Garden.

This was part of Adam’s life, so much so that when he and Eve sinned and hid from God, God called out, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9).

God, knowing everything, didn’t need help locating Adam. The question is more like, “Why are you not where you should be—with me in the Garden?”

God is love (1 John 4:8), and love always requires an expression of love—somewhere for that love to go.

In creating humanity, God was creating an expression of His love, a target for His love to reach. We were created to be in community and communion with Him.

When Jesus, the perfect Man, walked the earth, He sought after His Father diligently (Luke 5:16). He knew His Father intimately and enjoyed fellowship with Him (Matthew 3:16-17; John 11:41-42).

God created men to walk with Him. He still calls us today. If God were to ask the question, “Where are you?” of yourself today, where would you find yourself? How would you answer?

And if the answer is “Hiding,” or “Distant,” or “Away,” that is not hard to change. Like the Prodigal Son’s father, our God waits and watches for you to come back to Him again (Luke 15:17-20).

There is no better time than today!

Prayer: Lord, thank You for calling us to Yourself! You have created us for communion with You, and we can experience that anytime we like! Bless our walk with You today. Amen.

Reflection: Where do you feel especially close to the Lord in your life? Go and spend some time with Him in that place today!