What Does the LORD require?

I was thinking last night about the patience of God. I honestly got to thinking, "Just how patient will God be with me or with any of us?" Does God have a limit to his letting things go? If I screw up doing the same thing I always do again does it matter to God? Is he more upset or the same or less upset? All of this began going through my mind and some how, probably in the midst of just being tired, I got to thinking of what God desires or asks of us as a people. What is God wanting out of us?
One of the most well-known, and overly used in my opinion, scriptures for the answer to this question is Micah 6:8 which reads:
"He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and love kindness, and to walk humbly with you God?"
While this scripture is true for all peoples, I can't help but look at this scripture in its context and feel like the author is speeking to a certain situation. Micah is preaching during the reigns of Hezekiah (also during Jotham and Ahaz's reign) and it seems he is most likely preaching to North Israel and to South Judah. I may be wrong on that but this is what it seems to me. If it is the case however, then it would make perfect sense for Micah to preach about justice and kindness and walking with God. Israel, and Judah in this period, have strayed every which way away from God and Micah is exhorting them to turn back to him. With all that said, I feel like this text can speak to us, but I also feel that it was meant for the North Israelites who were in constant turmoil and needed to turn back to the LORD.
So what does God require of us? Certainly this Micah passage answers some of what God requires but there must be more. I have but one explaination and it may not suffice. It seems to me that one major message of the Old Testament is reliance on God. The major disasters in the Hebrew section of the Bible are caused by lack of trust or belief in God. God does not need anyone to prove that he is there or to defend his actions. He can defend himself and show himeself in whatever way he wishes. He does not ever call Israel to defend his actions. He uses Israel to show his power so that all nations will know that he is God. So is that all he requires is reliance and belief?
James in the New Testament seems to argue that there is more. He argues that this reliance and this belief without any action on behalf of it is useless. God tests Abraham by telling to sacrifice Isaac and Abraham shows his reliance and belief by going all the way until God stopped him. David showed his reliance in fighting the Giant Goliath. Solomon showed his reliance when he asked for wisdom. So how do we show our reliance on God?
So what does the LORD require of you? To rely on him for your strength and security and to believe. Jesus the archegos of our faith in God had full belief and reliance on his God. Should we not learn from this example?

On Competition

Last night I had a terrible night. The Detroit Red Wings were one game away from elimination from the Stanley Cup Final and they were down by only one goal. They had 4 minutes to put in a goal with a two minute powerplay in the midst of that. They put forth one of the most valient efforts I had ever seen but it wasn't enough and they ended up loosing 4-3. So, after almost 7 years of not being able to get past round one of the playoffs, Detroit got as far as the conference finals. Nothing to be ashamed of by any means but better luck next year.
Needless to say that I was very upset last night and, mom and dad you will be mad, I threw myself a fit. But as I got upset and Jessie(my girlfriend) tried her best to calm me down, I started to think about why I should calm down. Of course, my parents taught me to control my temper, but I was a long way away from breaking anything or hurting anyone in my anger. But there is something good about getting upset about things like that, or a better way to say it is that there is something healthy about good competition, even for Christians.
The Greeks of the first century and before are the creators of the athletic trials and sports. The early Christian writers, trying to find a way to get there ideas about Christian living to others, used this metaphor of being an athlete. The Apostle Paul uses this method a few times but the writer most attributed for this in the New Testament is the author of Hebrews. In chapter 12 he really gets into this metaphor exhorting his audience to perseverance in the midst of many trials just like an athlete must endure many trials in order to gain victory. The thing that strikes me is that an athletic trial consists of competition so why is it wrong to look at competition as a sin for Christians? There are many who believe that it is wrong for Christians to be competitive and to get worked up in things like athletic events. But isn't this "competition" what we are called to? We are exhorted as well by the Hebrews' author to "run with perseverance the race that is set before us," so shouldn't we have something that keeps us going in that race? What do modern day athletes sometimes use as a boost of energy or confidence? It is the competitive nature that tells them that they are the best.
Now, don't misunderstand me. I am not saying that Christians should have a competitive nature to the extent that we look at ourselves as being better than another Christian. I do believe however, that a competitive spirit can unlock some endurance when we face trials of many kinds. We should not compete for who will end up with more praise from Jesus in the end or for who knows the most and can preach the best or teach the best. But when we are running the race marked for us following Jesus the archegos and perfector of faith, we need to be in competition with ourselves to push us to the limits to follow the Nazarene. After all, what greater competition could there ever be?

Opener

Greetings!! This is my first post so it will be brief. I am now in Wichita Kansas involved in a youth ministry internship and boy am I not ready!! It is going to be an intense Summer! I know it is going to be an incredible adventure but I cannot help but be apprehensive. Yes this blog is named "The Fortress if Solitude." For those of you who know me well, you know that I love Superman and my office here at Northside church of christ is called this too. Hope you guys will enjoy this new blog. It is a new thing to me so I hope to be on top of things! Please do not hesitate to start some conversations here. That is what it's for!

Grace and Peace,

Jake