judgment and comfort

Good morning friends,
In our passage today Amos attacks the discrepancy between "those who are at ease" and the "ruin of Joseph." Here in particular it seems like his concern is that those who have wealth and power use it to insulate themselves from other people's problems. So even while part of society might be doing well, Amos calls Israel a ruin. I think sometimes of our military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan not having what they need to rebuild nations in ruins. In contrast I think about how little we at home, who don't have relatives serving, have been asked to sacrifice.

Amos also laments over those who "put away the evil day, and bring near a reign of violence..." By this he means those who rule by force for their own benefit and forget that one day they will be judged. Sometimes thinking about judgement just scares us or turns us away from our faith because it is "too negative." That's not the way I want us to hear this word. Instead I hope we hear it as a challenge to think of life not only in the short term: bills, financial security, comfort, but also in terms of the bigger picture: how we want our life to look in the frame of eternity. When you look back on your life with God one day what do you want the picture to look like? Where is your calling and responsibility?

God bless,
Sam

Amos 6:1-14
Alas for those who are at ease in Zion, and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria, the notables of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel resorts! 2Cross over to Calneh, and see; from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is your territory greater than their territory, 3O you that put far away the evil day, and bring near a reign of violence? 4Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, and lounge on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the stall; 5who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David improvise on instruments of music; 6who drink wine from bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! 7Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile, and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.

8The Lord God has sworn by himself (says the Lord, the God of hosts): I abhor the pride of Jacob and hate his strongholds; and I will deliver up the city and all that is in it. 9If ten people remain in one house, they shall die. 10And if a relative, one who burns the dead, shall take up the body to bring it out of the house, and shall say to someone in the innermost parts of the house, “Is anyone else with you?” the answer will come, “No.” Then the relative shall say, “Hush! We must not mention the name of the Lord.” 11See, the Lord commands, and the great house shall be shattered to bits, and the little house to pieces.

12Do horses run on rocks? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood— 13you who rejoice in Lo-debar, who say, “Have we not by our own strength taken Karnaim for ourselves?” 14Indeed, I am raising up against you a nation, O house of Israel, says the Lord, the God of hosts, and they shall oppress you from Lebo-hamath to the Wadi Arabah.