I’m coming out, both barrels blazing today. Every once I'm a while I'm confronted with a piece of scripture that just knocks me over! Even though I've read every line before, when I open a new translation, or I'm in a new season of listening, I'm surprised to find the word of God saying something I don't remember hearing before.
So, here goes:
“I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living." ~Amos 5:21-24 NLT
When God starts a sentence with "I HATE"... I take notice. I worship an infinitely LOVING God... so wow! What does he HATE???? In this verse he says He hates spiritual pride; hypocrisy AND he hates and ignores anything offered to HIM to him out of that heart space. In the NIV it's translated as "your assemblies are a stench to me." God can actually smell our false motives and they stink!
The good news is, He doesn't leave us guessing as to how to please him. Instead, He wants us to ACT and PURSUE justice and righteous living. In other words, if our goal is to "Give Jesus what he paid for" (as Pastor Chris Beard is known to say) we must get our priorities in order! We can't just show up in our Sunday best, sing loud, drop something in the offering and go about our week. The Lord won't accept that! He ignores it.... But if we work toward justice, He pays attention. If we will learn and grow in righteous living, He is pleased. Let's DO THAT!
One of the ways that we can actively nurture justice and righteousness is by serving our neighbors. It's a primary form of worship! Our Sunday best might not be very impressive, and some of us can't help but sing off key, but if we strive for justice and live righteously our offering will be accepted and pleasing to God.
For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. ~2Corinthians 2:15
Check HERE for open CarePortal Requests if you'd like to meet a need and fill your neighborhood with "the pleasing aroma of Christ". I love that thought!
And if you want to do more... If you want to help create "a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living" for your community, please connect with me so we can discuss all the training, service opportunities and discipleship that CarePortal offers to enhance your mission.
May the Lord change our hearts, renew our minds, rearrange our priorities, and teach us to love him well! ~amen
Comentarios