What is Really Important?
Do you ever ask yourself, "What is really important?"
If we're not careful, it's all too easy to end up doing things that, at best, are secondary, and at worst, don't matter at all. Such was the case of the people of Israel a few millennia ago.
The prophet Amos states that God is critical of their religious gatherings, their offerings, and their music. He uses phrases like "I hate...," "I despise...," "I will not accept...," "I have no regard for...", and "I will not listen...".
What did God want instead? Righteousness and justice.
Although it would be an incorrect conclusion to completely jettison our gatherings, our offerings, and our worship music, it might not be a bad idea to give them a bit lower priority. Certainly, the admirable traits of righteousness ("right living") and justice need to be elevated.
If that's what God wanted all those years ago, it might just be want he wants now.
[Amos 5:21-24]
If we're not careful, it's all too easy to end up doing things that, at best, are secondary, and at worst, don't matter at all. Such was the case of the people of Israel a few millennia ago.
The prophet Amos states that God is critical of their religious gatherings, their offerings, and their music. He uses phrases like "I hate...," "I despise...," "I will not accept...," "I have no regard for...", and "I will not listen...".
What did God want instead? Righteousness and justice.
Although it would be an incorrect conclusion to completely jettison our gatherings, our offerings, and our worship music, it might not be a bad idea to give them a bit lower priority. Certainly, the admirable traits of righteousness ("right living") and justice need to be elevated.
If that's what God wanted all those years ago, it might just be want he wants now.
[Amos 5:21-24]
Posted by Peter DeHaan at 7/3/2010 6:32 AM 
Categories: reflections
Tags: justice Amos author Peter DeHaan the Bible blog Peter DeHaan Peter DeHaan blog postmodern biblical spirituality Bible meditations Bible information
Categories: reflections
Tags: justice Amos author Peter DeHaan the Bible blog Peter DeHaan Peter DeHaan blog postmodern biblical spirituality Bible meditations Bible information
I don't know if I really have to give further commentary, but I'll tell you what comes to my mind when I read the words of Amos. It makes me think of a people who are concerned only for themselves. Even their religion is only for the sake of feeling good about themselves. In direct contrast, James tells us that religion that is true and acceptable to God is a religion that regards the poor, the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, and the outcast (some of these I added in) and a religion that keeps one from being defiled by the world. (James 1:27)
It's been my recent thought that our gatherings and meetings out merely to be a springboard for what should be happening the other days of the week. So I imagine a place where people gather together once a week to not only hear a teaching from the Word but to discuss in that moment how they are going to carry out the Word, and then, as if there were no limit to the craziness, we actually go out and do the Word. All the while, we encourage one another, forgive one another, love one another, build one another up, and teach one another through our life and example what it means to be the people of God. Then we become a life-giving presence that co-creates rather than being a group of consumers, even consumers of religion.
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