What God Wants
“I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.”
Amos 5:21-24 (NLT)
What does God want from us? Some might imagine that this is an unanswerable mystery question. In truth, it’s not. There’s an abundance of Scripture that lays out what God is looking for from His followers. But here, at the outset of a new year, why don’t we consider what He says to us through His servant Amos? Because here we’ll find what He wants, and perhaps equally helpful, what He doesn’t.
Amos is a book where God condemns the complacency and hypocrisy of the Northern kingdom of Israel. It was written at a specific moment in history to a particular group of people about their sins. Yet there’s application for us as we consider our complacency and hypocrisy.
God makes it clear that He isn’t interested in people putting on a good show. Going through the motions, even if those motions are religious, isn’t what He’s after. God says He will not accept offerings with the wrong motivations. Being able to sing worship songs to God with your eyes closed and hands lifted means very little if your heart is, in fact, far from Him.
So, what does He want? According to verse 24, a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living. In other words, He wants Jesus to be at the center of everything we do. Not just for a few hours on a Sunday. Not just to be able to satisfy our religious checklist. God wants us to pursue holiness in every aspect of our lives. Living righteously means choosing His ways over our own. God alone gets to determine the boundaries. Not society, Hollywood or even you.
A mighty flood of justice means dealing rightly and fairly with all and advocating for those for whom justice has been fleeting. There’s a constant refrain throughout Scripture to care for the widow, the orphan, the stranger and the poor. How might God want to use you to impact the lives of the least of these?
Application
Take stock of where you are in your relationship with God. Not where you wish you were, but where you are. Sometimes, we’re not honest with ourselves about this. Ask God to reveal to you any complacency or hypocrisy, and then commit to live a life of justice and righteousness by the Spirit.
Prayer
God,
Point out anything in me that offends You. Help me live with honesty and integrity, fully submitted to Your will. Help me to honor You with my thoughts, words and deeds. Be glorified in and through me.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?