thoughts on the news of the day: floods

hmmm…..

We have been studying the Prophet Amos in our Wednesday Morning Bible Class.  The name Amos means “burden” or “burden bearer” and it is completely appropriate for the writings of this book. There is very little really worth quoting in Amos; he mostly rants and raves about how wrong the leaders, kings and priests are, their selfishness, and how they are stealing everything from the poor.  And that is true, they were; there was no justice at all in that time and place. 

            One quote stands out in Amos 5: 24:  “let justice roll down like water and righteousness flow like a mighty stream.”   If it sounds familiar, you might have heard it in Martin Luther King’s speech, “I Have a Dream”.  King used it to call our country to seek justice in the treatment of African Americans.  But the quote fits so many circumstances in our world today.

            It has been flooding in our part of the world and the power of flowing water has been at the forefront of the news.  Mudslides, washed out roads, and overturned buildings are all part of the weather patterns lately.  Amos’ visual of justice rolling down like powerful water in the same way floodwaters have flowed lately gives a mighty picture of just how much God wants justice to be a part of our world.

            Maybe we don’t deserve our world – good or bad, but it is good to know, as Amos tells us, that God will repair our broken places, restore our ruins and build the world as it used to be.  In the meantime, we must walk in faith.

            hmmm…..