Day 178 – Amos: Introduction
“Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.” Amos 5:25 NLT
When we hear, “He’s a man of God,” we think of some famous evangelist, an ordained pastor, a missionary, or a minister. Professionals. Christian workers who preach and teach the Word as a vocation. Surely Amos was a man of God, a person whose life was devoted to serving the Lord and whose lifestyle reflected this devotion – but he was a layperson. Herding sheep and tending sycamore-fig trees in the Judean countryside.
Amos was not the son of a prophet or a priest. As a humble shepherd, he could have stayed in Tekoa, doing his job, providing for his family, and worshipping his God. In an instant, his life changed in a “But God” moment when he received a vision of the future and God told him to take his message to Israel, the northern kingdom. He obeyed and thus proved he was indeed a man of God.
Amos’s message has impacted God’s people throughout the centuries, and it needs to be heard today by individuals and nations. Though divided from their southern brothers and sisters in Judah, the northern Israelites were still God’s people. But they were living beneath a pious veneer of religion, worshipping idols and oppressing the poor. Amos, a fiery, fearless, and honest shepherd from the south, confronted them with their sin and warned them of impending judgment.
Prayer: Father, thank You for using Amos as an example to show us that You use ordinary people with ordinary lives and jobs for Your purpose. May we be obedient like Amos and sensitive in the Spirit to hear Your Word. Amen.
