OUCH!

This morning as I was reading and preparing for this weekend’s talk, I was interupted by my wife who emerged from her private time of reading and prayer with her Bible in hand. Knowing my topic of study she said, “I want to show you something I just read”. It was this passage:

Amos 5:21-24 (MSG)
21 "I can't stand your religious meetings. I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions. 22 I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making. 23 I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me? 24 Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That's what I want. That's all I want.

OUCH!

It caused me to pray this prayer for our church: (maybe you could pray it with me)
Father,

May your love and compassion flow so freely from your heart through ours to others that our “religious meetings” become pure celebrations of what you are doing in the world through us. May we live generously and sacrificially in our daily lives so the church does not have to dream up “religion projects” in order to get people involved in ministry. I too am sick of “pretentious slogans, goals, and fund raising schemes”. May we as your people simply love you enough to reach out to our fellow man in need. May we love your church as Jesus did and give sacrificially to it and for it. May we love You with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. And may we love our neighbor as ourselves. Give us grace to grow in your love more and more. Amen

Micah 6:8 (MSG)
8 But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.

Let us live the Jesus Creed today!