”For the Lord says to the house of Israel: Seek me and live!
The one who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the water of the sea and pours it out over the surface of the earth — the Lord is his name.
Pursue good and not evil so that you may live, and the Lord, the God of Armies, will be with you as you have claimed.
Hate evil and love good; establish justice at the city gate. Perhaps the Lord, the God of Armies, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. But let justice flow like water, and righteousness, like an unfailing stream.“
Amos 5:4, 8, 14-15, 24 CSB
Good vs evil…it is a repeated theme as God is highlighting what is not going right for His people. This chapter emphasizes the destruction that they deserve, but follows each statement with reminders of who God is, and very clearly lays out what He desires from us.
It is surprising that they needed the simple reminder to flee from evil and chase after that is good! That seems like it should be a no brainer! But when I reflect on my own choices I find that there is often a mixture of good and evil, even if only in my motivations. Sometimes I want something for the simple reason that it makes me feel good even if it is worse for someone else, or it is the opposite of what God wants me to do.
Lord, You have blessed me in so many ways, You have loved me through foolish decisions and You have SAVED ME! Help me to live every aspect of my life prayerfully seeking you and what you want from me. Help me to see where I am being selfish and strengthen me to choose good over evil…even when it seems less enjoyable. Give me your eternal joy in my obedience to you in every part of life and thought!
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