By Larry Stover
Stover lives in Valley Grande and is pastor at Praise Park Ministries Church of the Nazarene

It seems that everywhere we turn, someone or some group has a list of expectations from us.  Sometimes those expectations change from week to week. That fluctuation can often make life stressful and nerve-wracking.

Our Christian lifestyle has been affected by this roller coaster ride as well. The moral tenets of the traditional conservative Christian lifestyle are continually under attack by those who want a more liberal approach to nearly every facet of morality.  Ethical behavior in our society has many people believing that the “Ten Commandments” really are multiple choice. With right and wrong becoming more and more a relative issue, our youth and young adults are slipping into a quagmire of helplessness.  What are they to do?

The real question is, “What does God expect from me?”  Too often we answer that question by giving opinions as to what we have heard from friends or perhaps a sermon on Sunday.  The vast majority of Americans do not “read” anymore.  Knowledge has become second-hand at best.  The truth is, if I want to know what God expects from me, I need to find out what he has to say about the subject.

The Old Testament prophet, Micah, gives some great input into this discussion in chapter six, verse eight.  It reads “And what does the lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  Three phrases in that passage go a long way toward helping us to seek direction from the Lord.

We only need to turn on the nightly news to hear the cry for “justice” ringing across the country.  We want fairness, honesty, and integrity.  We tend to be more apt to receiving it than wanting to give it.

Showing “mercy” is becoming a dying art in our nation. Everyone seems to want it but fewer and fewer want to demonstrate it. The average person has become too busy to demonstrate compassion and kindness to those in need. Showing understanding and offering forgiveness are a fleeting myth in much of American society.

We have allowed society to define these values rather than seeking direction from God’s word.  When we begin to understand what God wants, it will become much easier to “walk humbly” with God.

What does God want from us this week? He wants us to enjoy a 24/7 relationship with Him by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal savior.  The more that you learn about a relationship with God, the more you will realize that he wants you to go through life with him. So, reach out your hand and begin a journey that will change you forever. The more you study and learn what God is all about, the less you will depend on friends and the media to tell you what is right and what comes up short in your Christian life.

As you take this journey, you will realize quickly that there is more to life than quotas and deadlines.  There are people lives to be touched, wrongs to right, needs to be met, joy to spread and love to be given.

You will find joy and contentment reflecting Jesus Christ in your life all day long.

When you get to the end of the day and lay your head on your pillow, you can pray, “Lord, I didn’t score touchdowns all day long but I walked with you.  It was wonderful!  I’ll see you in the morning.  Goodnight!”

God is so in love with you. No matter what happens in your life or in this world, he wants to walk with you every day.

Understanding and following what God wants from you, will always make your life “Simply Beautiful.”