June 22 - Amos 7:1-9:15 | 2 Kings 14:28-29 | 2 Kings 15:8-29 | 2 Kings 15:6-7 | 2 Chronicles 26:22-23 | Isaiah 6:1-13

Good morning everyone, 

Today we finish up the book of Amos with a series of visions God gives him. The first two speak to Israel’s impending punishment the first by locusts the second by fire, however Amos fervently prayed, “ O Sovereign Lord, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He (Israel) is so small!” The Lord heard and relented from both plans. Prayer is such a powerful tool. A privilege, in fact. Lives can be altered, minds changed, nations saved by simply falling to our knees and calling on God. 

The third vision is one of a plumb line. A rather cool and yet oh so simple invention used to make sure a wall is straight in the construction of a building because we all know (or at least I do … don’t ask) a wall that is crooked will eventually fall. In this case God wants his people to be right with him, walking the straight and narrow. 

The third vision is that of over ripe fruit, again, we all know how stinky that can be after it has been left in a closed up, warm house for just a couple of days even. Right? The people of Israel who were once a beautiful people who loved and worshipped Yahweh were now corrupted by the false gods of the land and gone rotten. 

Judgement was inevitable and it would begin at the alter. Some commentators believe it is the alter in Bethel, while  others believe it was the alter at the Temple in Jerusalem but whatever the case may be, the destruction would begin at the center of the people’s lives, a place where they expected protection and blessings, and the destruction would be thorough. They would hit rock bottom for many, many years., however, God did promise a restoration. He promised to bring the people back from exile to the land He has set aside for them, their own land, never to be uprooted again. 

I love this promise, because I know what it is like to be a woman of God and to get off track, to hit rock bottom and then experience God’s sweet soft voice beckoning me to come back, growing me stronger and stronger in Him than I ever thought possible. Sometimes friends ….. sometimes, He has to break you, like he broke me, to make us all that we can be through Him. God, our Abba Father loves us so much more than we could ever begin to wrap our heads around, and when you love someone that much you want what is best for them even if it means allowing them to be taken into captivity to bring them to their knees. You know? When life brings you to your knees, you should, we all should, stay there and pray to, cry out to, Yahweh as David did in Psalm 57:1-2,” Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me.”  Right?

Just one more thing for today, Isaiah 6 was a part of our reading, Isaiah gets this vision, if you haven’t read it, please let yourself be blessed and read it now because we are going to see stuff like this when we get to heaven. And what’s Isaiah’s reaction when he sees God? Well, while I am sure he had a plethora of emotions, he is so humbled by it all, he drops and says “Woe is me.”  A Seraphim flew to him with a live coal in his hand, touched his mouth and told him, “your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Are you kidding! You can’t make this stuff up. This really happened, I love it. Then, while I am sure his head is still reeling from all that, he hears the voice, (Yes! THE voice) of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And Isaiah said, “Here am I. Send me!” That, my friends, should be our mantra. “Here I am God. Send me!!” Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …