InChWesta - November 2009

10.22.2009

Have we become complacent?

Amos 6:1- “Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!” The youth and I have begun a series looking at some of the Minor Prophets whose primary emphasis is worship. Throughout Scripture it is made very clear that worship is how we live our lives day in and day out, not just what we do when we gather together. Amos 6 announces destruction upon Israel because the people had become complacent in their worship, in the way they lived their lives.

As you read chapter six, it is clear that their material possessions had caused them to be complacent and lazy. They lived in a land of comfort, so they created a god of comfort. They crafted the true God to be a god who was concerned about their having a life of great comfort and entertainment. However, this god is not the God of the Bible. Beyond the basic necessities of life— food and shelter—Scripture does not seem to present a God who is concerned about our always being more and more comfortable and entertained, but rather a God who is concerned about His people impacting His kingdom in powerful ways.

I fear that our great material possessions, which have led us to be very comfortable and well entertained, have also led us to be very complacent and lazy in our living. The more comfortable our houses are and the more entertained we are, the less likely we are to spend time in prayer, reading God’s word, and memorizing Scripture. The more comfortable our houses are and the more consumed we are with being entertained, the less likely we are to go out and serve others, fighting for the oppressed and downtrodden, sharing our faith, and building relationships with those who do not know Christ. Join me in prayer and action. Let us not let our comforts and entertainment, which God is not concerned about, lead us to be complacent in worship (which He is very concerned about), in the way that we live our lives.

In Christ, Josh

Posted by arbc at 03:36 PM