Amos 5:6 If you seek Adonai, you will survive.
Otherwise, he will break out against
the house of Yosef like fire,
devouring Beit-El,
with no one to quench the flames.
7 You who turn justice to bitter wormwood
and throw righteousness to the ground!, 10
They hate anyone promoting justice
at the city gate,
they detest anyone who speaks the truth.
11 Therefore, because you trample on the poor
and extort from them levies of grain;
although you have built houses of cut stone,
you will not live in them;
and though you have planted pleasant vineyards,
you will not drink their wine.
12 For I know how numerous are your crimes
and how outrageous your sins —
bullying the innocent, extorting ransoms
pushing the poor aside at the gate.
13 At times like these a prudent person stays silent,
for it is an evil time.
14 Seek good and not evil, so that you will survive.
Then Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot will be with you,
as you say he is.
15 Hate evil, love good, and uphold justice at the gate.
Maybe Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot
will take pity on the survivors of Yosef. (Complete Jewish Bible).
The other day I realized that my credit card payment was soon due. Usually this isn't a problem, but this time my credit card was full of charges from our recent youth trip. I'm generally pretty good about keeping receipts. But when I went through them, I was surprised to find that two of the receipts were missing. I searched at home, going through my paper stacks and the drawers where I keep such things. I searched my church bag where I keep all the stuff that goes back and forth. I searched my office. The more I searched, the more frustrated I got. And I'm still searching.
Amos tells the people more than once to seek the Lord and live. He's asking them to turn away from those things that are evil. He's begging them to turn to God and calling them to take action. Leave no paper stack, drawer or tote bag unturned. The stakes are high, Amos says. Seeking God is about life.
Call us to action, Lord. Let us seek you relentlessly in the ways we push for justice and goodness. For when we do, the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with us, just as you have said. Amen.
Sarah Raymond, '13
Pastor, Grand Forks Rural Parish, Thompson, N.D.
Amos 5:6 Seek the Lord and live, or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire, and it will devour Bethel, with no one to quench it.
7 Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood, and bring righteousness to the ground! ... 10 They hate the one who reproves in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks the truth.
11 Therefore because you trample on the poor and take from them levies of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
12 For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins-- you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and push aside the needy in the gate.
13 Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time; for it is an evil time.
14 Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, just as you have said.
15 Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. (New Revised Standard Version)
The Luther Seminary
2481 Como Avenue
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
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