Amos And Social Justice Part 2Written by Rev. Saundra L. Washington
Amos was summoned by God to warn Northern Kingdom of Israel of its impending doom due to collapse of justice and moral and spiritual decline of nation. It should be understood that Amos did not travel to Israel in footprints of Elijah and Elisha; working miracles and wonders. He went by divine commission with a prophet message. He had no soothing or cushiony words to comfort poor and those in adversity. Indeed, he had only threatening words of vengeance and punishment for those who defied God’s will. Justice, not mercy, was what Amos insisted upon.In Amos’ mind, social justice was a vital part of covenant responsibility. He declared it so ferociously that and defined it so sharply that community of Israel must have thought he was crazy. Of course, people tend to think you are “crazy” when you speak candidly and truthfully. We are not too far removed from response of children of Israel. We live in a time when you are expected to sugar coat, sweeten, soften it down a bit. But, I digress. Amos was a realist who dealt with things as they were. Justice was what his God demanded, and it was smug substitution of form and ritual for justice that roused righteous indignation of Amos who spoke for God and God alone. And Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. Let’s be clear; justice to Amos is not just conformity to a civil code, though it is involved to some degree. But for him, it was having right dealings with and relationship toward others in covenant tradition. It hurt Amos deeply to see that justice and righteousness were perverted so that covenant with God was dishonored. Much of practices of Israel were in direct violation to covenant laws. So much so that it seemed that Israel was in a conspiracy against its own poor. Amos insisted that true religion begins and ends in recognition of holiness of God: a holiness which must find its expression in personal and corporate life of Israel. He perceived with astonishing clearness that physical and intellectual strength of a nation can destroyed by immorality and overindulgence.
| | HOW TO CATCH MANY FISHWritten by Irvin L. Rozier
Mark 1.17 "And Jesus said unto them, come ye after me and I will make you fishers of men."One night as I was sleeping, I had an intensely clear dream. I had been meditating on above scripture before I went to sleep. In my dream, I was driving down a straight and narrow dirt road. I passed by a stagnant pond and there with cane fishing poles were a couple of preachers I knew. The water they were fishing in was scum covered and dirty looking, and hole they were fishing in was small. I shouted to them from road, "Come on! Go with me, I'm going to a really big lake to fish!" They replied, "NO! We are content fishing here; we catch one once in awhile." As I drove down that narrow road, I observed small stagnant ponds all along way. People were standing on banks trying to catch fish. At each pond site, I would stop and ask fishermen to come with me. The answer was always same, "NO, we're content here. It's easy fishing, banks of pond are clean and even though water is stagnant, we still catch one once in awhile." I drove on down road until it ended. In front of me was an old farm house surrounded by a weather beaten picket fence. An elderly man and woman were sitting on front porch in their rocking chairs. When they saw me drive up, they got up and walked down short pathway to picket fence gate. The elderly gentleman spoke and said, "Sir, you can't go any further until you wrestle with that big old fish that is down in well." I could clearly see well. It was an old open style well built of bricks about five feet high and six feet in diameter. It had an iron grate covering top. I went to back of my truck, pulled out a heavy fishing line, and a gigantic hook. On hook I placed a huge piece of meat. As I began to lower bait in well, I felt Spirit of LORD come on me. I also felt presence of great evil. Well, I hooked that big old rascal and commenced battle to bring him out of well. The whole time I was fighting this fish, I was saying, "Help me Jesus, help me Jesus." I finally brought great fish out of water and tied off my line.
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