Amos 7:2-3 - In my vision the locusts ate everything in
sight that was green. Then I said, "O Sovereign LORD, please forgive your
people! Unless you relent, Israel will not survive, for we are
only a small nation." So the LORD relented and did not fulfill the vision.
"I won't do it," he said.
God had given Amos a vision of the destruction that was
coming for the people of Israel that had disobeyed his commands to love only
Jehovah. They had crossed the line…and refused to go back to giving God the
individual praise and worship that he requires.
Amos was obedient…in spite of the fact that no one listened…in
spite of the fact that he was called a traitor and asked to leave town. Amos even went one step further. He went to God in prayer and asked him to
show mercy…to forgive the people…to not send the punishment he had planned….twice.
What boldness he must have possessed to petition God … immediately
praying for the stubborn people that had put him there. What courage it must have taken for Amos to
not back down as he was being yelled at by this King. What obedience he modeled for us in
testifying to the king how God had called him from the olive groves where he farmed….to
prophecy in God’s name.
Amos was powered by God’s love. He put aside any feelings of inadequacy and
position. He spoke boldly whatever God
gave him to speak. He prayed for others
before he prayed for himself. He
accepted his call and let it be the sole passion in his life as long as God
asked him too.
I admit that I have not embraced the true power of the love
God spoke about in 1 Corinthians 13. I get it some days…and others I let the
world hide the power it could give me to do God’s work. I sure needed this
reminder that love is the most important of the three most valuable character
traits…faith…hope and love.
Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to learn to
love….and let the power of that love do the work you have given me to do. Forgive me for the times that I have let the
world trick me into falling back on other emotions …that have weakened my faith…and
tried to steal my joy and hope. Help me to
guard against letting any other emotion but love rule my thoughts and actions.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment