The Journey 170
Read: Amos 2
The CBS News from Charlotte, North Carolina reported a thrilling news last week. An elderly couple was having their family prayer in the night when suddenly a burglar invaded their home. Though the elderly couple was taken aback and shocked at the intrusion into their house, the woman regained her wits and started shouting at the robber to read Bible rather stealing. According to the local police who are investigating this home invasion case in Lincolnton, North Carolina, reported that that the man who broke into the elderly couple's house was armed and wore a mask and was dressed in ski gear. He pointed a gun at the elderly man, who was reading his Bible. After obtaining some prescription medication[ drugs], the suspect escaped through the backyard into a wooded area. And as the man was running, the elderly woman of the home started shouting at the suspect, telling him that he “should be reading the Bible instead of committing crimes,”. The man stopped in his tracks and threatened to kill the couple if they didn’t wait 15 minutes to call the police. Finally after fifteen minutes wait, the elderly couple called the cops and the family members. By that time the suspect had already made a good of his escape. The police have reported that the case is being investigated. A home is invaded, life is threatened, these are frightful things that could happen to any of us, but to regain composure during such horrifying incidents is something remarkable. But more remarkable is to respond and encounter the during those horrifying times with guts, sharing gospel values and message, which the elderly woman did. We all are good in communicating the message when we don't face any opposition and barriers but what when the world opposes us or the values of the world is contrary to what we believe?. How would you respond when you know clearly that what is happening in front of you is not right?
This week we shall start meditating on a new theme “Transformation in our Community”. The portion that we shall use for our meditation will be from the Book of Amos. Today for our meditation we shall read Amos 2. The name “Amos” means, "he who carries the load". He was a native of the sinful people of Tekoa in the hills of Judah, some 9.6 miles southeast of Jerusalem. He was the first of those called "prophetic writers" of the 8th century B.C., a group which included Hosea in Israel, and Micah and Isaiah in Judah. The main focus of the preaching of Amos was to ask the nation of Israel to seriously take their status as called people. In this portion he raises his voice against the nation of Israel, by launching into a tirade as to how God is going to judge them. In the whole of the his preaching, Amos uses sarcasm. He was speaking against the following sins that nation of Israel was committing. They oppressed the poor (2:7), they strayed from worshipping the true God and began worshipping idols (2:8), they also rejected salvation from God (2:9,12). Another gross sin was that they also defiled the holy name of the Lord (2:7). Hypocrisy, greed, and injustice prevailed throughout the land. True worship had been replaced by empty ritualism and dependence on pagan gods. Looking at these ungodly things happening in front of his eyes Amos could not keep quiet. He was not concerned about his safety nor his image. He did not want to please the people by giving them pleasing message from the Lord on the contrary Amos made it plain that Israel would be judged severely unless the people turned from their sin and looked to the one true GOD for strength and guidance. It is in such a context that Amos becomes a model for all of us, as we try to live and be a witness to our faith in a society that has no qualms to live a life full of vices and immoral activities and life style. Do we preach against these vices or keep quiet to whatever is happening around us? Even when we know that certain thing are not right do we take a stand and raise a voice. If transformation in our community has to take place we need to be like the elderly woman who had the guts to shout at the robber at what he did, be like Amos by telling the nation of Israel to return to the Lord.
The CBS News from Charlotte, North Carolina reported a thrilling news last week. An elderly couple was having their family prayer in the night when suddenly a burglar invaded their home. Though the elderly couple was taken aback and shocked at the intrusion into their house, the woman regained her wits and started shouting at the robber to read Bible rather stealing. According to the local police who are investigating this home invasion case in Lincolnton, North Carolina, reported that that the man who broke into the elderly couple's house was armed and wore a mask and was dressed in ski gear. He pointed a gun at the elderly man, who was reading his Bible. After obtaining some prescription medication[ drugs], the suspect escaped through the backyard into a wooded area. And as the man was running, the elderly woman of the home started shouting at the suspect, telling him that he “should be reading the Bible instead of committing crimes,”. The man stopped in his tracks and threatened to kill the couple if they didn’t wait 15 minutes to call the police. Finally after fifteen minutes wait, the elderly couple called the cops and the family members. By that time the suspect had already made a good of his escape. The police have reported that the case is being investigated. A home is invaded, life is threatened, these are frightful things that could happen to any of us, but to regain composure during such horrifying incidents is something remarkable. But more remarkable is to respond and encounter the during those horrifying times with guts, sharing gospel values and message, which the elderly woman did. We all are good in communicating the message when we don't face any opposition and barriers but what when the world opposes us or the values of the world is contrary to what we believe?. How would you respond when you know clearly that what is happening in front of you is not right?
This week we shall start meditating on a new theme “Transformation in our Community”. The portion that we shall use for our meditation will be from the Book of Amos. Today for our meditation we shall read Amos 2. The name “Amos” means, "he who carries the load". He was a native of the sinful people of Tekoa in the hills of Judah, some 9.6 miles southeast of Jerusalem. He was the first of those called "prophetic writers" of the 8th century B.C., a group which included Hosea in Israel, and Micah and Isaiah in Judah. The main focus of the preaching of Amos was to ask the nation of Israel to seriously take their status as called people. In this portion he raises his voice against the nation of Israel, by launching into a tirade as to how God is going to judge them. In the whole of the his preaching, Amos uses sarcasm. He was speaking against the following sins that nation of Israel was committing. They oppressed the poor (2:7), they strayed from worshipping the true God and began worshipping idols (2:8), they also rejected salvation from God (2:9,12). Another gross sin was that they also defiled the holy name of the Lord (2:7). Hypocrisy, greed, and injustice prevailed throughout the land. True worship had been replaced by empty ritualism and dependence on pagan gods. Looking at these ungodly things happening in front of his eyes Amos could not keep quiet. He was not concerned about his safety nor his image. He did not want to please the people by giving them pleasing message from the Lord on the contrary Amos made it plain that Israel would be judged severely unless the people turned from their sin and looked to the one true GOD for strength and guidance. It is in such a context that Amos becomes a model for all of us, as we try to live and be a witness to our faith in a society that has no qualms to live a life full of vices and immoral activities and life style. Do we preach against these vices or keep quiet to whatever is happening around us? Even when we know that certain thing are not right do we take a stand and raise a voice. If transformation in our community has to take place we need to be like the elderly woman who had the guts to shout at the robber at what he did, be like Amos by telling the nation of Israel to return to the Lord.