WORSHIP REFLECTIONS are weekly devotionals based on worship songs/hymns. Our hope is that this content encourages your love and adoration of Christ Jesus as you grow in closer communion with Him through personal worship.
Dawn Gilmore, Author/Professor (retired), presents this worship song devotional based on the Pat Barrett song, "Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly".
It all comes down to this, What You require of me:
Love my neighbor as myself, And You above all things.
Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with You, God
In all things, in all ways, walk humbly with You.
It all comes down to this, To be Your hands and feet,
Good news to all the world, The truth will set us free.
It’s beauty for ashes, it’s mourning to dancing.
It’s closer and closer, The Kingdom of heaven
Years from now we’ll see the fruit our hands have sown.
Faith, just like a seed, the only way it grows.
The song has many references that can be found in scripture. But are they just strung together phrases that sound good, musically, or are they really related theologically? On the surface, the lyrics sound very biblical. Let’s drill down as see if that is the case or not.
Micah 6:8
”He has told you, mortals, what is good in His sight. What else does the Eternal ask of you But to live justly and to love kindness and walk with your True God in all humility?”
Leviticus 19:18
”Do not seek revenge or hold a grudge against any of your people. Instead, love your neighbor as you love yourself, for I am the Eternal One.”
Matthew 22:39, 40
Jesus quotes Leviticus “Love the Eternal One your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is nearly as important, Love your neighbor as yourself. The rest of the law, and all the teachings of the prophets, are but variations on these themes.”
Being the “hands and feet” of Jesus in the world. What does this mean? I think it is implying that we are to help others in tangible ways. Who has a need? Help the sick, the hopeless, homeless, etc. Minister to the needs of others - physically and then spiritually. As Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 28:19, 20: Go out and make disciples in all the nations. Ceremonially wash them through baptism in the name of the triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Then disciple them. Form them in the practices and postures that I have taught you, and show them how to follow the commands I have laid down for you…
Even Christ–followers sometimes want and need to know what the will of God is. In Micah 6 Israel is asking hard questions and God is responding and reminding them of what he has done for them in the past. But Israel still keeps asking if God wants this or that. ‘No.’ God says. The simple way to make God happy, and to find fulfillment in him is to live justly, love kindness, and walk humbly with him.
What does ‘live justly’ mean? I think it means to treat others with respect, even those we don’t agree with.
Love kindness – we all want to be treated kindly, so treat others as you want to be treated.
Walk humbly – don’t toot your own horn, but let others see by your actions, how much you love God.
This is the will of God for every person!
Matt. 22:34-40 – Jesus quotes Deut 6:5 and reminds the Pharisees – Love the Eternal One your God will all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. Then he adds, Love your neighbor as yourself.
— Dawn Gilmore, Author/Professor (retired)