Day 15 - Nothing Compares
- Pastor b.Side
- May 14
- 3 min read
With what shall I come before the LORD, [and] bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? - Micah 6:6
Many people refer to God’s goodness, but often in ways that limit the true extent of it. It’s common for individuals to proclaim His goodness when they believe a prayer has been answered. That’s true. God is good for hearing and answering prayers and making life easier. Is that the ONLY reason God is good? Scripture reminds us about the bigger picture, helping us to understand the fuller essence of God’s goodness.
“With what shall I come before the LORD…”
Micah 6:6 poses rhetorical questions that remind us of the bigger picture of God’s goodness. These questions relate to God's work in establishing Israel as a nation. He delivered them from bondage in Egypt and provided physical and spiritual leadership while they wandered through the wilderness. God protected Israel from their enemies who sought to curse and destroy them during their journey. No one sought these blessings from God, yet He generously supplied them. How can anyone repay such kindness, especially since it was given without provocation?
“[And] bow myself before the High God…”
God delivered, saved, and prospered Israel according to His covenants with them based on mercy and grace. He didn’t expect Israel to meet a certain standard before blessing them. He didn’t ask His people to repay Him. They didn’t even know how to worship Him properly until AFTER all these things. How do we connect with the One called “the Most High” while bowed down? We are beneath Him and should humble ourselves even further. He is supremely exalted. Can our effort please Him if it only illustrates how far we are from Him?
“Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings…”
Micah then expresses how absurd it is to attempt to please God through our own works. Does the blood of a single cow or a thousand rams compare to the blood God shed when He killed the firstborn male of every Egyptian? If we were to offer rivers of oil, would that match the water that God brought forth from a rock? What if we were to sacrifice our own firstborn? Does the fruit of our corrupted bodies compare to the gift of the Only Begotten Son? How do any of these material offerings address the true problems of our souls that disconnect us from God?
The transcendence of God shows that there’s nothing we can do to measure up to Him, thank Him, worship Him properly, or connect with Him through our own efforts. That’s what makes God so good! He is aware of the challenges we face with our souls, yet He shows us favor anyway. He took on flesh to die while we were still sinners. He simply wants us to accept the truth of His testimony by faith, embracing the mercy He has given us. The goodness of God transcends not only circumstances but also our understanding and every “normal” aspect of life. He desires us to believe that this is true and to allow that understanding to humble us.
Prayer for today
Our heavenly Father, thank You for the mercy and grace You have shown us. Forgive us for when we live as if our works can measure up to Yours. We love You because You first loved us. This is what makes You transcendent beyond human nature. This is what makes You uniquely and supremely good. Help us to walk in humility as we understand these things, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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