Seeking God

6.29.2011

Amos 5:4-5 4 This is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: “Seek me and live; 5 do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba. For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will be reduced to nothing. NIV

Imagine your nation going straight to hell; crime and oppression increasing, government uncaring and in the midst of it all God tells you to go preach against it. Who would listen, who would respect you? Welcome to the life of Amos. And to make matters worse, Amos was a shepherd. Who listens to shepherds?

The greatest sin of Jeroboam (the first, cf 1 Kings 12) wasn’t just his embracing others gods, that was bad enough; the greatest sin of Jeroboam was telling his people (the ten northern tribes of Israel) that they didn’t have to go to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple anymore. “Why go clear down there when you can worship God right here!?” It was substituting religion for God.

By the time Amos was prophesying the people went to the established worship centers at Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba. Their religion had become state-run, institutionalized, and hollow. They sought empty religion and God begged them to seek only Him.

Why go to church? Why meet with God’s people, sing songs, read the Bible, and listen to preaching? Do we seek God or seek church? Why do some stay home? Do we seek God at home in the manner of Bethel, Gilgal, or Beersheba? Are we offended by God’s people and stay away? Is it easier to seek God but reject His people? Is it easier to just stay away? In these days of uncertainty and shifting sand I think God invites you and me to seek only Him. I think He bids us not to put any hope in anything but Him and to share that hope with others – in the church and beyond. Trust me, it’s easy to stay away but that isn’t where God’s called us – He’s called each of us into the fray to stay.

Paul told Titus, “To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.” (Titus 1.15 NIV) To the pure, God is found in compassion, care, and concern; and in obedience. Seeking God requires the right motive to do so and purity in Him is a great place to start…

Father in Heaven,
Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me that I may seek You, find You, and help others to do so as well – amen.