Thought for September 17, 2024

  •  1394: Jews expelled from France
  • 1683: Antonie van Leeuwenhoek reports the existence of bacteria
  • 1787: US Constitution signed in Philadelphia
  • 1835: Charles Darwin lands in the Galapagos
  • 1849: Harriet Tubman escapes slavery
  • 1862: Battle of Antietam--22,000 dead, wounded or missing in one day
  • 1908: Thomas Selfridge is first fatality of powered flight
  • 1926: 450 die when hurricane hits Miami/Palm Beach
  • 1934: First LP released--Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
  • 1950: San Francisco Forty Niners play first game in NFL
  • 1954: "Lord of the Flies" published
  • 1959: Jack Nicklaus wins US Amateur
  • 1972: MASH debuts on television
  • Born: Anne Bancroft, Hank Williams, George Blanda, Maureen Connolly, Phil Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, 
  • Died: Spiro Agnew, Dred Scott, Laura Ashley, Red Skelton, Cokie Roberts, 
Thought:
We are seven weeks from election day and I am reading the Book of Amos today. Amos is a shepherd from the town of Tekoa, 6 miles from Bethlehem. He eats sycamore fruit--the diet of the poor.  He lives during the days of Uzziah like Isaiah. 

Today, I am just thinking about the situation when Amos writes. The borders of Israel seemed secure. The people had become citified, cultural and proud. Peace had been used to gain wealth at the expense of others. Cult religions had arisen, particularly in the Northern kingdom where Jeroboam had set up golden calves. He did not want the kingdoms united and so to avoid people going to Jerusalem to worship, he gave them places to "worship" at Dan, Gilgal, Mount Tabor near Nazareth, Mount Carmel, and Penuel. Did you notice where he decided to put the golden calves for worship---the sites of previous important events. Gilgal was near the first encampment in the Promised Land; Mount Tabor where Deborah rallied her forces; Mount Carmel where Elijah met the prophets of Baal and Ahab; Penuel where Jacob wrestled with God. 

What does that say to me today? Satan will use familiar places of worship to distort and lie about the worship of God. Church buildings become places of business. New theology is taught from the pulpit. God's word is interpreted to meet human goals and desires. People think they are going to worship God, but tricked and mislead into worshipping things other than God. And their wrong worship leads to wrong living. We live in luxury [6:4]  on our couches and beds, eating only the best. We drink the finest wines and anoint ourselves so the outside looks and smells good. [6:6] We become arrogant [6:8]. Amos sums it up in 3:10--"They do not know how to do what is right." 

Wonder if God looks at us that way? Look at what God says about those people:
  • He rejects their sacrifices and offerings. Don't bring tithes and offerings and think God does not see my heart. [4:4-5; 5:22]
  • He rejects their festivals. Nice Christmas program, lovely Easter celebration. But hard hearts and disobedience make these an offense to the Lord. [5:21]
  • He rejects their singing. Just noise if the heart is not right. [6:23]
Lord, forgive us. Forgive me from worshipping the wrong things. Forgive and restore. 

Blessings
Larry


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