What Our God Requires

Introduction

The times in which we live are unprecedented, uncertain, and confusing.

This year will be remembered in history, as 9/11 is remembered today.

I am not that old, but I have talked to many people much older than I who have remarked that they have never seen anything like what we have seen this year.

Let’s summarize:

It is election year, in a time where our country is more politically divided than it has ever been.

The coronavirus triggered widespread panic, leading to a shut-down of businesses and stay-at-home orders, resulting in a 14.7% unemployment rate in April of this year. Along with this came a massive change in our culture.

The headlines and conversation about coronavirus were eclipsed in the last few weeks by nation-wide protests and violence following the killing of George Floyd.

How are we to respond to all of this? There’s a lingering sense that we should there’s something that we ought to do, but it’s hard to know what that is.

The text before us gives us a framework for how we are to live at all times, regardless of our circumstances. 3 simple things: 1) Seek justice, 2) Love kindness, and 3) Walk humbly with your God

Do Justice

This will be the most controversial point of this message.

We have to deal with this subject. There is so much talk about social justice nowadays, as there has been for many years. Everything involved with the current protests and riots revolves around a demand for justice. This topic is now in our face, and we have no choice but to deal with it, even if it is controversial.

The reason behind the controversy is that there are two competing understandings of the concept of “justice.”