Basic Requirements: Walk Humbly
Micah 6:8 (NKJV)
“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?”
We conclude our three-part study by considering how to WALK HUMBLY with God.
Walk humbly with your God – true humility is a correct perception that we are poor and needy, and underserving of the least of God’s favor. This may be the hardest of all, especially if we do a decent job of being just and merciful. It’s easy to think we are “doing fairly well”, that we “deserve” God’s mercy.
When we walk close to God and see our humanity compared to His holiness, humility should be our logical response.
Luke 18:13, “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ ”
Walking is something we all understand. A baby’s first step is one of the most exciting moments in parenting. Doctors and fitness gurus agree that walking is the best exercise and something that nearly everyone can do without expense or equipment. Our bodies are made for walking.
We can walk with purpose, staying focused on the destination, measuring our progress, and pushing ourselves to walk faster or further than we did the last time.
Or we can wander aimlessly, meandering about, getting sidetracked by good things that compete for our attention. Have you ever started out to walk in the neighborhood for 30 minutes, stopped to talk to a neighbor, taken pictures of beautiful flowers, become fascinated by birds, squirrels ,and rabbits, and suddenly realized that the time is gone, and you have mostly stood in one spot! I have.
Our Christian walk can be like that, too. Every January we start out determined to do better, or more, than we did last year. We choose our word or verse for the year. We assemble our study materials, notebook, and highlighters. We prepare our cozy corner for study and meditation. Before we know it, it’s February and we’re still in the preparation stage!
When God’s Word speaks of walking, the reference is not to the physical act of moving from Point A to Point B. Rather, it is the spiritual direction, the path that should lead us closer to God. Our “walk” is observed by God, the lifestyle observed by peers, the heart attitude that prompts us to choose one path over another.
The Bible gives us some stellar examples.
Genesis 5:22, “…Enoch walked with God three hundred years…” and as recorded in Hebrews 11:5, “…he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”
Think of it! Enoch walked with God 300 years!!! We can hardly fathom such length of life. I have been saved for over 60 years, but I’m certain that in God’s eyes, I have not walked with him constantly for 21,900 days, 525,600 hours, 31,536,000 seconds! This is not a unique problem. esus said to the three disciples in the garden, “Could you not watch with me one hour?” (Mk. 14:37, KJV)
Genesis 6:9 (KJV), “…Noah walked with God.” Verse 8 says “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord,” and verse 9, “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations.”
Now we know that Noah was not “perfect” in the sense of sinless, especially after the flood. He believed God even though he had never before seen rain. He obeyed God even though building the ark was a daunting assignment. He trusted God when others ridiculed. His walk with God was not hindered by unbelief, disobedience, or wavering faith.
So, what does it mean to WALK with God?
We must start with a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP. Noah was a just man. In our dispensation of grace, we are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 3:24 KJV) We cannot earn our standing with God. We place our faith in the finished work of Calvary, admitting that we are helpless to attain God’s standard on our own.
After we are declared by God to be just or righteous through the blood of Christ, only then can we attempt to live—to walk—in a way that is pleasing to Him.
Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him [God]; for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.”
How then do we please God? His Word is filled with instructions!
First, we must DESIRE to walk with God.
Psalm 63:1,8, “O God, you are my God; early will I seek you: my soul thirsts for you, my flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water … (8) My soul follows close behind you…” [as if I am super-glued to God and cannot be separated from Him]
Second, we must DETERMINE to walk with God.
Walking with God is directly tied to listening to His voice, obeying His Word, and clinging to Him. Having a desire, whether spiritual or physical, does not come to fruition simply by wishing it to be so. We must work toward that goal. Active participation is required. Don’t be a spiritual couch potato!
Deuteronomy 13:4, “You shall walk after the Lord our God and fear Him and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.”
We cannot claim to be walking with God if we are not obedient to the clear commands in His Word. We can have no power to obey these commands if we are not truly dependent upon Him.
John 15:4-5, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
Finally, we must DEMONSTRATE that we are walking with God.
Others do see our lives [outward appearance] and that is their only means of judging [assessing] our spiritual condition. We can say we love God and desire to serve Him, but actions speak louder than words. Some refer to this assessment as “fruit inspectors.” Can others see that I am growing to be more like Christ? Do others benefit from my obedience to Christ as I extend mercy and grace to them? As I know God better, am I willing to “teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2).
When I have a major decision to make, where do I turn for advice? Do I prioritize being in God’s house with God’s people? Do I listen to talk radio or TV, and do I evaluate those opinions in light of God’s Word?
Psalm 1:1, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly…”
Where do I go, what do I read, what leisure activities do I enjoy, what music do I listen to for relaxation or pleasure? What message are these activities implanting in my mind and heart?
Galatians 5:16, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
Are my words kind? Do I seek to encourage and edify other believers? Do others trust me to do right?
Ephesians 5:2, “…walk in love…”
So then, how do we WALK HUMBLY?
We recognize that none of this is possible without God! We must consistently seek the Lord, obey His Word, listen to His prompting, and act on His known will. Every moment, every day.
When we know we have failed whether by direct disobedience or by getting sidetracked on our walk or by treating others unjustly or without mercy, we must own our failure. We must come humbly to God and confess that we have not sought Him with singleness of heart [desire], we have not clung to Him as our only source of strength and power [determination], we have spoken or acted in ways that did not reflect God [demonstration].
Daniel 4:37, “…And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.” Nebuchadnezzar became a living object lesson in humility!
Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise.”
God has shown us what is good. God has shown us what He requires. Now it is up to us—me and you—to pursue justice, mercy, and humility with dogged determination so His likeness may be seen in us.
