Morning by Morning—Daily Prayer Journey with Tommy Hays: Do Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with Our God through these Times

Monday, June 01, 2020

Do Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with Our God through these Times - June 1, 2020

Morning by Morning, June 1 - Do Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with Our God through these Times

Good morning, Lord Jesus. I speak out Your name and listen up for Your voice to begin my day centered in You -- grounded in Your Word and filled with Your Spirit. ...

As I join with my praying friends around the world in these darkening days of riots and vengeance, of calling for justice that rightly needs to be addressed and asserted, but also of escalating into what could quickly become anarchy and chaos, I cry out to You for Your wisdom and intervention. "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; lovingkindness and truth go before Your face" (Psalm 89:14).

You are still on Your throne! And both righteousness and justice are the foundation of that throne. Righteousness is important to You and so is justice; but in Your wisdom and Your ways, You establish Your righteousness and assert Your justice through speaking the truth in love. For no lie can stand in the light of Your truth and no evil force of the world, the flesh, or the devil can withstand the power of Your love.

As I join with those around our world who bow our hearts before You and turn our eyes toward You to lead us through these days as those who choose light rather than darkness, who choose good rather than evil, who choose hope rather than despair, this Scripture comes to mind from the prophet Micah:

"And what does the Lord require of (us) but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with (our) God" (Micah 6:8).

These are ancient words, but they are tried and true. We're to seek justice. For justice is in Your heart. And at the same time, we are to love mercy. For mercy is also Your heart. Not just justice. Not just mercy. But both justice and mercy.

So how do we do that? How do we live that out? How do we confront the injustices of our times in the light of Your truth, but also with mercy and compassion in the power of Your love? ... Only by walking humbly with our God.

To walk humbly with You is to admit we don't have the answers on our own, we don't have the power on our own. We can't set things right or even make ourselves right on our own. Apart from You, we can do nothing (John 15:4). Even our most righteous acts, apart from You, are as filthy rags, stained with the stench of the sweat of our flesh instead of the aroma of Your Spirit (Isaiah 64:6).

To walk humbly with You is to willingly choose to be desperately dependent upon You alone. It's to cry out to You for Your justice, for Your mercy, for Your wisdom, for Your ways. It's to humbly welcome You to put Your thoughts in our minds and Your desires in our hearts. It's to pray that for our leaders and for ourselves and then to act in the power of Your grace in what You speak to our hearts. For even faith, without the works of our words and our actions by the leading and power and grace of Your Spirit, is meaningless, unproductive, unfruitful, and dead (James 2:26).

So Word of God speak! Spirit of God come! Empower us to pray in humility and faith. Then empower us to stand up and speak up as we lift up Your name, filled up with Your Spirit. Then the winds of chaos will not prevail. Then the waves of turmoil will subside. Then justice and mercy will be restored.

Lord, let this be our desire. Let this be our prayer and proclamation in expectant faith. Let this be a worldwide witness of Your resurrection Pentecost power to overcome evil with good, to overcome hate with love, to overcome chaos with peace, here in this land and here in our hearts and to the ends of the earth! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My Friend, may you be empowered with the Holy Spirit to do justice, to love mercy, and walk humbly with your God as you stand up and speak up in prayer, in proclamation, and in every way the Lord would lead you through these times in His resurrection Pentecost power, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. May we join together in our prayers for the United States and the nations of our world to experience God's righteousness and justice revealed in Jesus Christ. God bless you, my friend!