SAFE

 

Friday, December 17, 2021

Listen to me, you fat cows living in Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, and who are always calling to your husbands, “Bring us another drink!”  The Sovereign Lord has sworn this by his holiness:
“The time will come when you will be led away with hooks in your noses.  Every last one of you will be dragged away like a fish on a hook!  You will be led out through the ruins of the wall; you will be thrown from your fortresses,” says the Lord.  “Go ahead and offer sacrifices to the idols at Bethel.  Keep on disobeying at Gilgal.  Offer sacrifices each morning, and bring your tithes every three days.  Present your bread made with yeast as an offering of thanksgiving.  Then give your extra voluntary offerings so you can brag about it everywhere!  This is the kind of thing you Israelites love to do,” says the Sovereign Lord.  “I brought hunger to every city and famine to every town.  But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord.  “I kept the rain from falling when your crops needed it the most.  I sent rain on one town but withheld it from another.  Rain fell on one field, while another field withered away.  People staggered from town to town looking for water, but there was never enough.  But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord.  “I struck your farms and vineyards with blight and mildew.  Locusts devoured all your fig and olive trees.  But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord.  “I sent plagues on you like the plagues I sent on Egypt long ago.  I killed your young men in war and led all your horses away.  The stench of death filled the air!  But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord.  “I destroyed some of your cities, as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.  Those of you who survived were like charred sticks pulled from a fire.  But still you would not return to me,” says the Lord.  “Therefore, I will bring upon you all the disasters I have announced.  Prepare to meet your God in judgment, you people of Israel!”  For the Lord is the one who shaped the mountains, stirs up the winds, and reveals his thoughts to mankind.  He turns the light of dawn into darkness and treads on the heights of the earth.  The Lord God of Heaven’s Armies is his name!  Amos 4:1-13

There is an enormous difference between SAFE and Safe…when used as directed.  A few days ago I was using one of those sponges that is “safe,” meaning it won’t scratch your stove, sink, or refrigerator's polished finish…but only when used in strict adherence to the instructions on the wrapper.  The manufacturer takes no responsibility if you disregard the instructions.  That means you can use it any way you want…but that also means you will live with the consequences.  In my case, the lady of the house would see to the consequences if I leaned hard on the scratchy side of that sponge, and left a trail of scrapes on her black porcelain cooktop!  I suppose it also makes sense that you don’t use Ajax cleanser on a stainless-steel sink, unless you prefer dull stainless to shiny.  I’ve learned a lot of things in our nearly 55 years of marriage (mostly the hard way).

So, what does that have to do with Amos?  Well, I was just connecting the dots when it comes to ignoring instructions from the manufacturer.  Amos learned that 2,800 years ago when God gave him the message that Israel’s time was about up.  Their self-serving, self-absorbed ways had run God’s patience thin.  They were about to experience the consequences of ignoring their manufacturer’s warning label.  They’d disregarded God’s instructions, and all the emails, texts, calls, and final notice letters…housecleaning was about to take on a new look.

When it comes to God-blessed nations, Israel and America would certainly be on anyone’s list.  But with blessing comes responsibility.  If you fail to follow His instructions, you set yourself up to be on your own in dealing with the consequences.

For You Today

The people who belong to Jesus have a responsibility to speak plainly to our culture and this generation.  We cannot afford to depend on our reputation, history, or resources with the arrogant attitude that says we will never be judged.  None of us is exempt from the manufacturer’s instructions.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!  

[1] Title and Other Images:  Pixabay.com  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©   

For other posts on this text see When God's Message Stings and Stubborn to the Bitter End