Niagara of Justice

June 8, 2020

Scripture

“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 6:21-24 ESV)

Niagara of Justice

Many times, I’ve used today’s powerful waterfall of prophetic outrage in guiding prayer times with groups, small and large, who are dedicated to these ideas. But I could never say them like a Martin Luther King or some other figure leading a counter-revolution against the status quo of injustice.

Yesterday morning I heard Jesus’ words to Nicodemus “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  I responded with Nicodemus “Can a man be born when he is old?” (John 3:3,4 ESV) Can our world, my life, be born anew with sight for the kingdom of God where what is done on earth is as it would be done in heaven?

Is my response to affirm or reject the calls for justice? Is my impulse to protect what I have regardless of what it may cost someone else? Am I blind in my own little bubble and unable to connect in empathy with the pain of our citizens who have been treated without respect as human beings?

Every so often I need a dose of prophetic language to help with these questions and Amos pulls no punches. He’s God’s thundering agent reminding us that justice and righteousness are music to God’s ears, not our singing and religious mumbo jumbo. I lead lots of “religious” gatherings”, but I know they have to produce the fruit of justice and righteousness.

A Prayer for Today

Our Lord God, I need rebirthing in vision for your will done on earth as in heaven. Help me hear and see with your eyes the cries and tears of those whose lives are wounded by the structures from which I benefit. Help me see you walking with those on the roads of this world’s suffering and join you there… For Jesus’ sake