Thursday, June 2, 2022

            Near the end of the Old Testament, we come across a minor prophet named Micah.  He was from Moresheth and spoke the word of the Lord during the reigns of three kings of Judah—Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah.  His best-known verse is likely 6:8, “He has shown you, O man, what is good.  And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  This verse is a favorite of many Bible students and readers.  But two chapters earlier in Micah, we find a compelling verse as well.  The prophet wrote, “All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever” (Micah 4:5).  A few lessons stand out for us to consider in this one verse.
            First, we all take some kind of walk in and through life.  And we are not speaking about exercise.  We all have a course we are walking or a road we are taking.  To walk means we place our faith, trust and hopes in a certain way or a certain lifestyle.  Wealth, pleasure, hobbies and various pastimes can be things that capture our time, hearts and vision.  When these things become our god(s), then we have developed a problem.  Micah made it clear that we do not live in a vacuum.  We all have a way, road or route we are walking. 
            Second, Micah admonished us to walk “in the name of the LORD our God.”   We are to walk in the name of the great I AM God.  He is to be the steering wheel or drivetrain of our lives.  If given a choice between walking in the name of the LORD or something else, we should always choose the name of the LORD.  We are approaching a time of the year where walking in the name of the LORD can be challenging to us.  During summer, we travel, we vacation, we have different rhythms and we go different places.  It can be easy to lose sight of the Lord God and to follow a trail or pathway that leads us further and further away.  Make a decision to stay with the LORD this summer.  Walk, worship, serve and give in ways that please and honor Him.  You would hate for the summer to end and autumn begin and you begin to wonder where you are in your faith journey.  To avoid losing your way, stay faithful to the right kind of walk. 
            Third, our walk in the name of the LORD is to be forever.  We do not take a time out or step aside.  We walk faithfully and forever.  Few things last forever.  Cars eventually fail.  Bodies break down.  Houses can fall into ruin.  But the Lord is in the business of forever.  He has always existed and will exist forever.  There will never be a time that God ceases to exist.  Faith is forever.  The power of the cross is forever.  Salvation and eternity are forever.  When we walk in the name of the LORD forever, we are in the tradition of things that last and endure. 
            As we walk, Micah reminds us to walk in ways that are just, merciful and humble.  We are to live out the ways that the LORD has already made known to us.  We live with our eyes fixed on Christ.  Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  May your walk and mine be fixed and focused on Christ this summer and beyond.  Remember you can share our worship any time at youtube.com/FirstBaptistKannapolis.  Join us this Sunday as our youth lead in worship and as we honor our graduates.  You will be blessed by this special Sunday.  Have a great Thursday!