Monday 17 September 2007
- Bible Book:
- Amos
"This is what the Lord God showed me: he was forming locusts at the time the latter growth began to sprout (it was the latter growth after the king's mowings). When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said, 'O Lord God, forgive, I beg you! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!' The Lord relented concerning this; 'It shall not be,' said the Lord". (v.1-3)
Background
Amos is insistent that he was a shepherd and come to that, acattleman and a fruit farmer - not a prophet. He is keen to statehis ordinariness. Yet the 'ordinary' things he observes give a verydistinct message about the presence and the nature ofGod.
In this chapter he speaks of three visions he had - they couldequally have been ideas or deep musings - the first being a swarmof locusts that ate the king's entire crop and the second a showerof fire that ate up the land. His subsequent prayer to God is thatthis would not happen, as the kingdom is too small to withstandit.
The passage records that because God is compassionate he answersAmos's prayer.
Amos shows in this understandable word picture that God isunendingly gracious even when his people do not deserve it. In aworld where people had been brought up on the 'eye for an eyeprinciple' this was quite something.
Here Amos shows an early example of intercessory prayer that holdsothers in the presence of the Almighty in such a way that they areencouraged to seek his 'best' way of living. Thus not onlyreceiving a reprieve, but a blessing.
To Ponder
Creation is designed to 'speak of God'. What doyou sense God is saying to us through the created world today, andwhat is your response?
Have you experienced holding others in prayer andfound that it was powerful? How did it also change you?