The New Year is a great time to commit to a newer and healthier way of doing things. So, what are some newer and healthier ways of worshipping together in 2018? During the prophetic time of Amos in the Old Testament, the people of Israel needed to realign their worship. This is what God has to say to them:
“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 5:21-24)
So what’s going on here? The people had long been only going through the motions of their worship times together. They were leaving their lives outside these assemblies bowing more at the alter of self (and other surrounding gods) than to the Lord. What God sees as true worship is justice and righteousness. To the eye of the reader of Amos’ day, this would mean someone devoted to the Word of the Lord and His Law and living it out each day. So what are some ways we can do that together this year?
I was really excited to hear Darryl tell us about the scripture he would be preaching on next week and the challenge he gave for us to read before we come back together again. A great way to prepare well to worship together is to “let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” by worshipping in the Word.