Justice and mercy
Day 461, Saturday, Nov. 15
Micah 6 – 7
Micah has one of the most succinct statements of what it means to live a godly life in 6:8, where he says, “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.
Justice and mercy are two of the most frequent themes of the prophets. They do not replace the law contained in the first five books of the Bible, but instead help us to interpret it.
The law was given not to impose arbitrary rules on us, but to show us what justice and mercy look like in practice.
Later, in 7:9, we get a verse that foreshadows our understanding of Jesus as both our judge and defender. It says, “Because I have sinned against him [God], I will bear the Lord’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.”
In those two short sentences we see God portrayed as our judge, our defender and our perfecter: roles we see fulfilled in the Son.

-Rev. Mark Fleming

Saturday meditation

Psalms 27:1-3
The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.

Prayer focus
Lord, it seems like justice and mercy are opposites, yet you call us to exemplify both. Grant us the passionate desire to be just in our thoughts and actions and merciful in our acts toward others.