Amos 7:7-15 (NRSV)
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Verse 7This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. Verse 8And the Lord said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by; Verse 9the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword."
Verse 10Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. Verse 11For thus Amos has said, 'Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.'" Verse 12And Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; Verse 13but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom." Verse 14Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, Verse 15and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'
Devotion
Here in Minnesota, we had about two minutes of spring. From a massive April snowstorm to temperatures over 100 degrees in May, finding the weather that was "just right" was elusive. I felt bad for the weather forecasters and the message they had to deliver. Nobody wanted to hear it—especially when their predictions came true. Amaziah, the priest, doesn't want to hear Amos—can't you just go away! He complains about what Amos has to say, but it doesn't change the truth behind the message. God is calling Amos to speak truth about God's anger at injustice, even if those called to hear are reluctant. What challenging word is God speaking to you in this time and place?
Prayer
Heavenly God, speak truth into our world and lead us to bring change when we encounter injustice. Amen.