What is required for God’s blessings to rest on a nation, a region or a city? We look around the world and see spots that are plagued with famine generation after generation. We see abundance and we see want. We see peace among some people and we see genocide among others.

What we really see is sin and the results of sin. I don’t know of a nation or place on earth that is exempt either – lest we feel far superior to that “other” nation. But it is not God’s desire or heart to punish, judge and curse the nations of the world. He wants to bless because that’s the kind of God he really is.

When Israel thought they were doing great because they were offering plenty of burnt offerings, God called them up short. “Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil?” (Micah 6:7) Actually, they were missing the things God was really looking for.

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8) What a change in our society if each nation simply practiced those three things. Imagine such a place. Imagine what would happen if injustice was removed. Imagine the effect on human relations if we loved kindness. What if we gave up our arrogance and self-sufficiency and walked humbly with our God?

Many nations want to keep God out of their affairs; they only want a secular society. That’s fine but what about the end result? I would rather live with the three things God requires and see that result.