day 14 – In this human life, we face countless demands. We feel the pressure of expectation: from family, friends, and neighbors who need us, from bosses who give us assignments, within our local church bodies where we hold a variety of responsibilities, and from our own hopes and dreams.

But… what does the LORD ask of us? His expectations and desires should take the highest priority and bring any other pressure into proper perspective.

The gospels record an occasion when JESUS answered a similar question, “Of all the commandments, which is the greatest?” He replied that we should love the LORD wholeheartedly and love others the way He does. (Matthew 22:36-40, Mark 12:28-31).

How do we do that? According to today’s verse from the book of Micah, we should echo GOD’s own heart by conducting ourselves with integrity and justice, passionately extending mercy, and bowing our own will to the Father’s.

Our Savior set the perfect example for us in all of the above. What did JESUS do? He was singularly devoted to doing the Father’s will. Following His lead will always be our best choice!

𝘑𝘌𝘚𝘜𝘚 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, “𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘔𝘦,
𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘴,
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵.
𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘔𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘔𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶,
𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵,
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴.
𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘔𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘳,
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.”
‭‭(𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘸‬ ‭𝟷𝟷‬:‭𝟸𝟾‬-‭𝟹𝟶‬ ‭𝘕𝘓𝘛‬‬)