In the sixth chapter of the book bearing his name, the Old Testament prophet Micah asks a potent question: “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?” (Micah 6:6) In many ways, our life together as the church holds that same question ever before us. When we pray and plan, we do so in the context of seeking to discern the will of God. What do we bring? How do we bring it? In what ways will that be known in my life, in the church, or in the world? We want to be constructive participants in expanding the reign of God that Jesus proclaimed and inaugurated.
Whenever we start talking about our relationship to something so expansive and far-reaching, it becomes a little intimidating to imagine where we might actually begin. If our life together in the church were a boat facing a calling of such magnitude, it is easy to sense a lack of buoyancy and stability as we tip, turn, and topple in the rough seas. What guides our thoughts, our plans, our good intentions toward the deep current of God’s will? Micah’s response to his own question is the key: “He has shown you, O mortal, 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.” (Micah 6:8)
Do. Love. Walk. While such a brief response might seem to oversimplify the matter, my personal sense is that it takes a lifetime to comprehend how doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God orders our life and purpose toward God’s will. If there’s one thing Micah is sure about, it’s that we can only learn by doing, loving, and walking. We need to do ministry “on purpose” — with the desire to make a difference, and to be made different ourselves. With practice, our lives, priorities, time, money, and resources are shaped into useful instruments for God’s purposes.
I believe every day is an opportunity to “do, love, and walk” again. This is a critically important part of our discipleship, especially now as we focus so much effort on our campus renovation and expansion. Though this requires our deep attention, it is not a time to set aside our ministry to the world in Jesus’ name. We cannot neglect our sisters, our brothers, our community, and those who do not yet know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Yates has been given the gifts to do, love, and walk alongside those already at work in our community — and to begin new projects, too, even in these days when so much of the facility is closed off for the time being. The church marches on to the familiar beat. Do. Love. Walk.
Hold all the ways Yates is sharing Good News in your prayers these days. As you do, continue to ask what the Lord requires of us — and of you.
Grace and Peace,