Do you ever ask yourself, “What is really important?”
If we’re not careful, it’s all too easy to end up doing things that, at best, are secondary, and at worst, don’t matter at all. Such was the case of the people of Israel a few millennia ago.
The prophet Amos states that God is critical of their religious gatherings, their offerings, and their music. He uses phrases like “I hate…,” “I despise…,” “I will not accept…,” “I have no regard for…”, and “I will not listen…”.
What did God want instead? Righteousness and justice.
Although it would be an incorrect conclusion to completely jettison our gatherings, our offerings, and our worship music, it might not be a bad idea to give them a bit lower priority. Certainly, the admirable traits of righteousness (“right living”) and justice need to be elevated.
If that’s what God wanted all those years ago, it might just be want he wants now.
[See Amos 5:21-24.]
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
