Walking

Peter Fitch, St. Croix VineyardSunday, April 12, 2015

Micah 6:6-8

6 With what shall I come to the Lord And bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves?7 Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

Easy, Ordinary

• Do Justice• Love Kindness• Walk Humbly with your God

(McLaren on charismatic and contemplative forms of faith)

Do Justice• “Make things right” . . . babies• Calvin’s paper: For starters, we live in a world where 50% of all

humans on this planet live on less than $2.50 per day and 80% on less than $10. One in seven people have access to appropriate medical service and aid, one in five people have no access to acceptable drinking water and one in three people have access to adequate shelter. How is this ok?

Calvin & Jobs

This kind of poverty has tragically resulted in a world where 22,000 (that’s right, thousand) children are dying every day. If we could somehow get clean water and medical support to those in need, we could save 1.4 million children from death every year.

Imagine your 10 closest friends represent the worlds population.

• 8 of them live on less than $10 per day, while five of them on less than $2.50.

• 2 of them have no access to clean drinking water.

• 4 of them have no access to adequate sanitation.

• 1 of them is prone to some kind of exploitation.

• 3 of them have no roof over their head at night.

Love Kindness

• Mother Theresa and the journalist• Hesed: loyalty, kindness, mercy, covenant love• Many references in the psalms—something

that God shows to our souls• Not ritual or duty, but a heart inflamed with

desire in a way that leads our actions past societal expectation

Walk Humbly with Your God

Friend: I have managed to stay out of jail, though _______ and I were part of a protest group being chased by riot police last night (riot police for peaceful protesters?). So many reflections on this time, precious, so much learning. Feels like that Zulu proverb is true in yet another new way: if you want to pray, move your feet! walking pilgrimage continues to expand as a lived concept.

Walk Humbly with Your God

• Remember Isaiah 40: mount up with wings like eagles, run and not grow weary, walk and not faint . . . Packer’s idea

• So often good things start with determination, not inspiration

• Inspiration follows as you interact with God about the thing that you’ve already determined that you will do

Talmud on Micah 6:8

“Thus says the Holy One, blessed be He, to Israel: My children, have I allowed you to lack?What do I seek of you? All I ask is that you love one another, and honor one another, And let there be found in you neither transgression nor theft nor any ugly thing; So that you never become tainted;

Talmud on Micah 6:8

As it is said: It hath been told thee, O man, what is good . . . And to walk humbly with thy God--do not read: “Walk humbly with thy God”, But rather, “Walk humbly, and thy God will be with thee”--as long as you are with Him in humility, He will be with you in humility.”

Half-lit

Playful participation in life

• We are candles, waiting to be lit• We make room for God by trimming the wick

(trying not to do things that He will not like)• We also walk forward into good things, trying

to help others or build good things

We are Egg Cups

Some like things defined . . .

Some are cuddly

Some like to be unique

Some a little more so

Or, a legend in our own minds

Or, a legend without a mind

• We are egg cups . . . God is a soft-boiled egg• So is everyone else you meet; many don’t

know that they can participate in life with a God who loves them

• Most will get there more easily if the yolk’s on you!