Readings for the day: Amos 6-9
For decades, I have heard Christians talk about how we are living in the “end times.” Surely the time draws close when Jesus will appear. We look around and we see the violence and the suffering and the pain and we cannot imagine things getting much worse. We look at the immorality and the blatant idolatry and we cannot imagine Jesus tarrying much longer. We look around at the way the world is going and we just know Jesus is about to step in and put an end to all things.
I have heard other Christians talk about how we are living in times very much like the first century. Religious pluralism is the rule. Many different faiths contending in the public sphere for attention. The key passage is Paul’s speech on the Aereopogas in Acts 17. He looks around and sees shrines to every god imaginable. Even one to an “unknown god!” Much like today, the people of Athens were good at covering all their bases! They were spiritual if not religious.
For my part, I’ve always believed we were living in the time of the prophets. A time in the life of Israel when things looked pretty good on the outside. Lots of wealth. Lots of power. The storehouses were full. People were employed. Babies were being born. Worship was taking place. Yes, on the outside, things looked pretty good. But the job of the prophet was to lift the hood. Take a peek beneath the surface. Expose what many wanted to keep hidden.
Amos was a simple herdsman. A dresser of sycamore trees according to Amos 7:14. There was nothing about him that made him special. Nothing about this man that would cause you to take a second look. He had no power or authority. His lineage as obscure. No training or education. He was no prophet nor a prophet’s son. He simply was a man called by God to preach His Word to His people. A man given special insight by the Holy Spirit to see what was rotten at the heart of the nation and call it out. He performs this task faithfully. At great cost, he delivers God’s message of destruction and judgment. It didn’t make him popular. There was no national movement of repentance. Nothing that would indicate Amos won any converts over the course of his career. Quite the opposite. It put him at odds with the governing authorities. Put him at odds with the religious elite. Put him at odds with everyone who was anyone in the nation. Thus is the fate of most prophets it seems.
Why do I believe we are living in a time analogous to that of the prophets? We are living in a time of unparalleled wealth creation. We live in the most powerful nation the world has ever known. Our military could defeat any country on earth with ease. Our Constitution guarantees us great freedom and the rule of law grants us security. The peaceful transfer of power between political parties in election after election is something I no longer take for granted having been in many other countries in the world where this is not so. Businesses flourish. Educational opportunities abound. The simple ability to chart our own course is astounding when you step back to think about it. But all is not good. There are deep racial tensions built on a history of racial trauma and systematic abuse. There are deep cultural divisions built on mutual disrespect of radically different world views. We suffer from a tragic lack of national as well as personal self-awareness which cripples our ability to find solutions to our problems. The growing gap between rich and poor is simply unsustainable and the lack of opportunity for far too many in our country is a stain on our nation’s honor. Pride keeps us from recognizing our privilege and putting it into service of others. Above all, our spiritual immaturity and biblical illiteracy rob us of the resources we need to humble ourselves, repent, and seek God’s help in turning things around.
Does this mean I hate our country? No. Does this mean I’ve capitulated to politically correct thinking? Absolutely not. Does this mean I refuse to sing or cover my heart for the national anthem, turn my back on the flag, or disrespect those men and women who have given so much to secure our freedom? Far from it. I simply choose to look at our nation honestly with eyes wide open recognizing all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory...including America. All are like sheep who have gone astray...including the United States. None are righteous, no not one...not even the country that I love. The Bible is clear. There is only one way to survive God’s justice. Repent. Return to the ways of God. Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly. Place our faith and trust not in our own strength or wisdom or knowledge or understanding. Not in some political party or platform. Not in our wealth or talent or ability. Not even in democracy or freedom or capitalism. But in God alone. Only then will we be the “city on the hill” our founding fathers envisaged. Only then will we be the “light to the nations” they imagined. Only then will we be the “hope for the nations” God intends for us to be. As we place ourselves in service to Him and His ways. Spend our wealth to uplift the poor. Use our might to break the bonds of oppression. Put our power and privilege in service to those who lack opportunity. Uproot the systems of injustice in our own midst. We surrender our own “kingdom” for one much greater!