Matt Richards
Amos 6:4-6 Woe to those who lie upon beds of ivory and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock and the calves out of the midst of the stall, Who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and invent for themselves instruments of music like David’s, Who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved and sick at heart over the affliction and ruin of Joseph (Israel)!
'Woe to those who live only for today, indifferent to the fate of others! Woe to the playboys, the playgirls, who think life is a party held just for them! Woe to those addicted to feeling good—life without pain! those obsessed with looking good—life without wrinkles! They could not care less about their country going to ruin.' (MSG)
You know there are a lot of woes in the bible, in the old testament, but I don't want to be someone who is always woeing (if that's a word) with doom and gloom. But this morning this jumped out at me.
We can as Christians be really selfish. I know I have been and I can be. And there is an 'Americanised' Gospel that not only supports this prosperous ease but encourages this: 'it's all about me doctrine.' (Best life now and all that.)
Here in this passage God is saying to His people, you know you're having a great time eating, singing and partying—a feel good, playboy mentality, and lifestyle. But you are not grieved, you just couldn't care less over the state of the church and the country.
This hedonism, this 'I've got to feel good all the time', when the church is falling away and when the country is in ruins is just wrong.
God wants me to care. God wants me to grieve, to be sick at heart at what's happening right now.
When did I, when did you get hard, cold and indifferent?
Let's have soft hearts. Be people that cry with the broken, that care about His church and our nation and pray.
Let's not be a church that's playing but praying.
Prayer:
Father forgive me for my hardness, my indifference, my concern just for myself. Break me with the things that break You. Holy Spirit soften me again. Help me, stir me, teach me to pray in Jesus' name, Amen.