Listen To It!

The prophet Amos was a simple and humble shepherd who loved God with all his heart and served God as much. He described himself as, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore- fig trees. But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'” Amos 7:14 The message God gave him to reveal and share with Israel was tough, but Amos obeyed and did as he was told.

Prophets like Amos were not necessarily accepted with open arms. On the contrary they were seen as turncoats because they spoke against the leaders of the time and their advisers. The leaders saw the prophets as enemies and treated them as such. They failed to accept them as God’s spokesmen whose message was from God trying to help them and the entire nation.

As mentioned Amos was a simple shepherd and didn’t have years of schooling to prepare him for the task at hand. He didn’t have the upbringing nor any special preparation. He simply loved God, served Him and obeyed. Obedience and respect is the test of a faithful servant of God.

So why do many of us find that so difficult to do? Amaziah, the chief priest during this time and official representative of the “official religion” was out to shut Amos up! He wasn’t interested in God’s message. Actually, he was more concerned about his own position. He wanted to keep it and to him as many today, that was more important than listening to the truth.

We all need to be aware that desire for prestige, rank, authority or even money that keeps us tied to a job or position that distracts us from God and serving Him is truly dangerous. We recognize in our mind that ” obedience is better than sacrifice,” yet, we allow such to come between us and obedience to God; simply because our heart’s desire is warped.

“The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, ‘when I will send a famine through the land-not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.’ People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from North to East, searching for the Word of the Lord, but they will not find it.” Amos 8:11

The people were just not interested in God’s Word when prophets like Amos brought it forth. They were too distracted, too involved with other things that kept them from God. It was because of their apathy that God said he would take away their opportunity to hear it.

It is no different today from the time of Amos and his prophecies. People are just not interested in hearing the Word nor reading it nor studying it. We have His Word, the Bible. But, far too many look elsewhere for answers to their issues, and problems. And, all of us have them. God’s Word is still available to you and I and all the more reason for us to “listen” to it!

We need to help and encourage one another with the Word before the time comes where it will not be found.