The longer I live, the more certain I am. I am certain that what’s on the inside of a person is what truly matters. The outside may look appealing, be alluring, or even challenging as we are invited to new experiences. But if we live on the surface of life reacting only to what we see, what we hear, what we think while striving to live life on our terms, then insecurity, fear, prejudgments, pride, arrogance, and a whole host of other characteristics may be brewing within. Inside out living is one born from deep reliance upon God. It is seeking intentionally to live from a constant stable foundation of God’s covenantal love.
I have long been an advocate for spiritual direction as a tool for individuals and communities alike to engage inside out living. This interior ever-deepening awareness of God in the midst of daily life assists us to become the most authentic person created in the image of God that we can be while overflowing in love action and engagement within relationships with others, self, and God. As we deepen awareness of God in the midst of human chaos and culture, we discover an expanded understanding of who, what, and how God loves the fullness of creation and God’s covenantal creatures. The question becomes how well do we allow God to shape our interior desires, loves, strengths, and hope so that God’s presence overflows from our love of God to the lives of others?
The Scripture
The prophet Micah called the Israelites to examine their interior life’s priorities and loves. Honest, critical self-examination is not something most of us like to do. Like the Israelites, we too fall into routines of living, loving, and faith which carry us through the swirling dynamics of human relationship and we become comfortable with the predictability of our routines. This is not a new phenomenon of the 21st century. Generation after generation has found comfy routines for faithful living.
In Micah 6:1-8 God speaks through the prophet Micah as God and the Israelites enter into a court trial on the topic of whether the Israelites have been faithful to God’s covenant. Rather than getting into a blame and shame game with God pointing a finger of accusations toward all the ways the Israelites have been giving lip service to faith, God begins with self-examination. Has God been unfaithful? God asks:
“My people, what have I done to you?
How have I burdened you? Answer me. (Verse 3)
Then Micah recounts God’s deliverance of the Israelites beginning with the Exodus from Egypt with their redemption as former slaves in Egypt to free persons. Each stage of their passage of deliverance, God gifted them with leaders, encouragers, and steadfast covenantal love. But now, at the time of Micah’s prophecy the Israelites have fallen into comfy ways of faith.
The Israelites insist on knowing what else are they to do to prove they love God. They sacrifice, they worship, they look good on the outside performing religious rituals. But God knows their interior hearts. They are truly lacking a depth of love of God on the inside of their hearts. All of the exterior action of faith does not matter to God. God desired for their exterior actions of faith to rise from their abiding love of God. God has three simple words for believers to live from the inside of their beings to influence their outward actions. What are the three phrases?
“To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.” (Verse 8)
Today’s Prayer Practice
Today you are invited to self examen. Spend significant time this week reflecting with God as you consider these questions.
*As you begin ask God to assist you in remembering the faithfulness of God within your life.
*How has God shown up in your life? What are some concrete ways that God has intervened, acted, created, brought hope, or lead you out of bondage?
*Next consider how you have showed up before God. Do you attend weekly worship, give to charities, provide space for others to deepen awareness of God through spiritual direction, have daily, weekly prayer and Sabbath? What are your comfy rituals of faith?
*Even with all of these amazing things and ways you express love of God, God invites you this day to Examen how you live three simple phrases.
- How have your lived justly this past week with family, friends, and within community of strangers, politically, emotionally, and economically?
- How have you loved mercy this past week?
*Your acts of justice and mercy spring from your humble covenantal walk with God. How do you allow God to lead your life in and through all circumstances?
When you are finished with your Examen, offer your journal pages, prayers, and full self to God in deep gratitude for God’s steadfast covenantal love of you.
May the inside formation of God’s grace and love overflow to your everyday actions as you engage others.
Enjoy praying.
