Scripture: Amos 8:4-7
Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, saying, “When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; and the sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the sweepings of the wheat.” The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.
Thought for the Day: Referring again to the words of Rabbi Abraham Heschel: “The prophet’s words are outbursts of violent emotions. [The prophet’s] rebuke is harsh and relentless. But if such deep sensitivity to evil is to be called hysterical, what name should be given to the abysmal indifference to evil which the prophet bewails?” Heschel went on to reinforce just how highly sensitive the prophets were to evil. In rereading a number of the prophets over the last few weeks, I have come to think of them as those who feel evil like most of us feel fingernails dragging down a chalkboard. They sense it the core of their being, and ignoring it is clearly not an option. Their ultimate goal is not the destruction of people, but the transformation of those whose sinful ways bring suffering to the powerless. The prophet wants nothing more than for the perpetrators of injustice to – realize, relinquish, repent and seek reconciliation. That’s a journey we all must take, and for most of us, it is one we will take numerous times in life if we are listening to the challenging words of the prophets.
Prayer: May the prophetic voices you have inspired, O Lord, give me reason to seek holy change in my life. Ultimately, I wish to be a part of your loving panacea. Amen.
JOIN US THIS SUNDAY
Pastor Bruce
will explore
The Prophet Elijah
(The First of Three Week)
