Seek God and Find Life

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Amos 5:1-17.  Let’s go!

Amos 5:1-2 (NIV) 
1  Hear this word, O house of Israel, this lament I take up concerning you: 
2  “Fallen is Virgin Israel, never to rise again, deserted in her own land, with no one to lift her up.”

On verses 1-3, 16-17:  Having been given a preview of Israel’s eventual demise because of her continual idolatry (v3, 16-17), Amos laments for Israel.  As Amos says in verse 1, “Hear this word, O house of Israel, this lament I take up concerning you”.  I believe Amos’ lamenting heart here is in line with God’s.  God is not one who delights in our destruction, even when we get what we deserve for our sin.  A loving Father who cares deeply for His children, God grieves and weeps for His children when they make wrong choices and suffer as a result.
 

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耶穌在耶路撒冷_為門徒洗腳

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約翰福音13章14節     我是你們的主、你們的夫子，尚且洗你們的腳，你們也當彼此洗腳。

當我在尋找這段耶穌為門徒洗腳的經文時，很驚訝地發現，只有約翰記錄了這件事。為何馬太、彼得和路加沒有記錄此事呢？馬太和彼得都是在現場的人，不記錄此事實在不合理。但是換個角度想，這件事是否讓他們覺得很丟臉呢？以致於不寫了？彼得和約翰是負責預備筵席的人，竟然忘了找個人給大家洗腳，真是太不週到了。

在耶穌的時代，不像我們現在有很美觀舒適的鞋子穿，只有類似拖鞋般的鞋子；巴勒斯坦又很乾燥、到處泥沙灰塵，腳上的鞋履亦只不過是用帶子把鞋底綁在足上。因此進到屋子，主人必預備水，親自或讓奴僕為客人洗腳。

以前在巴勒斯坦，男人們吃飯時並不坐著進膳，而是斜躺著，大家躺在矮小的臥榻上，身體靠在左肘，騰空右手，雙腳最後伸展；進膳的時候，則把鞋子脫掉。可以想像，若不洗腳就上臥榻吃飯，是一件何等令人倒胃口的舉止。

但是耶穌和門徒吃晚飯，沒有奴僕跟隨，那麼，誰要負責洗腳？誰都不想去做那樣卑微的工作，誰也不想去聞別人的臭腳，因此就假裝沒那一回事。耶穌看到沒有人出來為大家洗腳，就離席站起來，脫了衣服，拿一條手巾束腰， 隨後把水倒在盆裡，就洗門徒的腳，並用自己所束的手巾擦乾。

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Don’t Box In Your Worship

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Hi GAMErs,

Amos 4:1 (NIV) 
1  Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, “Bring us some drinks!”

On verses 1-3:  While Israel was experiencing great economic prosperity during this time, there was a wide discrepancy between the rich and the poor in Israel.   Here Amos accuses the rich, upper class women, and indirectly their husbands, of oppressing the poor and taking advantage of the needy in order to satisfy their expensive tastes.  Playing off the fact that Samaria, Israel’s capital city, had a lot of lush fields and fattened cattle, Amos calls these women “cows of Bashan” (v1).  This is followed by a promise from God that these upper class women would be cast out of their own city one day, like fish being taken away on hooks (v2-3).

What can we learn from this?  It angers God when the rich take advantage of the poor, or when those who have more materially show no concern for those who have less.  God has no issues with people having wealth, but He watches what we do with our wealth.  Justice is a big theme in the book of Amos.

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