OUR DAILY BREAD : WHERE'S THE LEASH?

[cimi]

December 22
Saturday


WHERE'S THE
LEASH?

READ:
Micah 6:1-8
___________________________________

What does the LORD
require of you but to do
justly, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly
with your God?
__ Micah 6:8
____________________________________

Recently, while out for chinese food with friends, I noticed a man walking his dog past the restaurant. Normally I wouldn't have looked twice. But the dog's owner had taken the leash, put it in a figure-eight configuration, and placed it firmly in the dog's mouth.

My friends explained that it's against the law in their town to walk a dog without a leash. This clever dog owner had found a loophole__the law didn't stipulate that you actually have to hold the leash! The amazing part is not the loophole, but that the dog was walking in obedient step with his owner, even though he could have bolted away to chase a nearby squirrel.

Our walk with God needs to be like that. While God in His mercy gives us a long leash and rarely gives us spiritual whiplash by yanking on it, He doesn't delight in the struggle to keep us in line. He delights when we walk in a surrendered way with Him.

When Israel whined to the prophet Micah about how hard they thought it was to please God, He replied with a straight-forward simple way to please Him. Being just and loving mercy while we walk humbly with Him brings God great pleasure (Mic. 6:8). You'll know He is pleased when He doesn't have to hold your leash anymore. __ Joe Stowell
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~All to Jesus I surrender,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~All to Him I freely give;~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I will ever love nd trust Him,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~In His presence daily live. __ Van de Venter~~~~~~~~~
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Find true freedom by walking obediently with God.

****************Today's Bible Reading __ Micah 6:1-8**************

1 Hear now what the LORD
says:
"Arise, plead your case
before the mountains, and
let the hills hear your voice.

2 Hear, O you mountains,
the LORD's complaint, and
you strong foundations of
the earth; for the LORD has
a complaint against His
people, and He will contend
with Israel.

3 "O My people, what
have I done to you? And
how have I wearied you?
Testify against Me. 4 for I
brought you up from the
land of Egypt, I redeemed
you from the house of
bondage; and I sent before
you Moses, Aaron, and
Miriam. 5 O My people,
remember now what Balak
king of Moab counseled,
and what Balaam the son of
Beor answered him, that
you may know the
righteousenss of teh LORD."

6 With what shall I come
before the LORD, and bow
myself before the High
God? Shall I come before
Him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?

7 Will the LORD be pleased
with thousands of rams, ten
thousand rivers of oil? Shall
I give my firstborn for my
transgression, the fruit of
my body for the sin of my
soul? 8 He has shown you,
O man, what is good; and
what does the LORD require
of you but to do justly, to
love mercy, and to walk
humbly with your God?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The prophet Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah and Hosea, ministered
to the kingdom of Judah from 750-686 BC. He prophesied the
destrusction of the northern kingdom of Israel (1:3-16) as warning
to Judah that if she did not repent from her social exploitations and
religious compromises, she too would be punished. God's people
must act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before God (6:8).
__ SKT