What Do You Want From Me?

What Do You Want from Me?
Can you recall a time when, perhaps in exasperation, you have asked this question of someone else? You are not saying a stubborn, “I won’t do it!”, rather you are saying a frustrated, “I don’t know what you want me to do!”

You can probably recall a situation where this has occurred, perhaps in conversation with a family member, spouse, parent, child, or co-worker.”

There’s a person in the Bible who asked similar questions of God, wanting to know specifically what God wanted, and expected of people. Micah asked:
“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”  Micah 6:6-7

Micah is exaggerating and rhetorically speaking to God on behalf of the people, asking Him, “What do we need to do to appease You? To avoid bad things happening?” There are other Bible accounts of people just wanting to know what they “have to do” to make it right with God:

•  A rich man asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life (Matthew 19:16)?”
• Nicodemus came to Jesus at night asking about eternal life. Jesus responded, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. No one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit (John 3:1-6).”

These are questions people are asking, and it may come out as, “What do you expect of me, God?” Jesus has several answers:

• Love God, Love others (Luke 10:27). Focus on Him first. He will guide you from there.
• To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8). Micah thought they had to do something spectacular to make God love them. They didn’t. He already loves us all. Just follow His lead.
• And the most important answer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved (Acts 16:31).”

God does not need us to impress Him (as if we could!). He hasn’t called us to some extravagant expression of our faith. On the contrary, it’s simple, honest, and all about Him, not us. He has already provided the connection available to all, through Christ. We can count on the Holy Spirit to create and sustain that saving faith.

4832 Ponderings:

• Think of a time, or way in which you tried to impress others. What did you do? Did your efforts succeed?
• In what ways do we “perform” for other people to make ourselves look good?

God’s people often need the reminder that our hearts and our actions, are a part of who we are as followers of Jesus. We live in a confidence that comes through Jesus. And it’s not just future-oriented, it’s the here and now.

This week, look for specific and urgent opportunities to:

• Act justly
• Love mercy
• Walk humbly with your God
• Love each other deeply
• Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling
• Use whatever gift you have received to serve others
• Praise and honor God through Jesus Christ