Prayers from Amos

Amos 3:9-15

Proclaim to the fortresses of Ashdod
    and to the fortresses of Egypt:
“Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria;
    see the great unrest within her
    and the oppression among her people.”

¹⁰ “They do not know how to do right,” declares the Lord,
    “who store up in their fortresses
    what they have plundered and looted.”

¹¹ Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“An enemy will overrun your land,
    pull down your strongholds
    and plunder your fortresses.”

¹² This is what the Lord says:

“As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s mouth
    only two leg bones or a piece of an ear,
so will the Israelites living in Samaria be rescued,
    with only the head of a bed
    and a piece of fabric^[a] from a couch.^[b]”

¹³ “Hear this and testify against the descendants of Jacob,” declares the Lord, the Lord God Almighty.

¹⁴ “On the day I punish Israel for her sins,
    I will destroy the altars of Bethel;
the horns of the altar will be cut off
    and fall to the ground.
¹⁵ I will tear down the winter house
    along with the summer house;
the houses adorned with ivory will be destroyed
    and the mansions will be demolished,”
declares the Lord.

God’s first words in this section are to enemies of Israel to come and watch Israel’s destruction. This was not going to be done discreetly, but in full view. God was going to destroy the altars Israel had created, remove their place of sanctuary and refuge as they had gone after false gods and religious ways that were not of Him. He is our refuge alone. What structures, habits do we build in to our days, weeks that may start of well-intentioned that become our altars and refuge? For me creating order and healthy eating can become altars as can the discipline of Bible reading if I rush it to simply do it rather than anticipate meeting with the living God.

Father in Heaven, may Your name alone be hallowed in our days. May we meet with the living God today and not just touch in with the altars we have set up. Give us not just daily bread but courage to step away from those altars that we have come to depend on and allow You be Yourself in our lives. In Jesus name we pray.