Where Are You Christ, Why Can't I Find You? (1st Monday of Advent)

For those of you unaccustomed to the daily lectionary texts during the Advent season, you will be surprised (as I was) when the scriptures seem to have nothing to do with the coming of Christmas. However, if you dig a little deeper you’ll eventually find that the grand pooh-bahs that put the lectionary together knew what they were doing. So, lets look at our text for today: Amos 2:6-16.

In this passage the prophet Amos is pronouncing the Lord’s judgement on the nation of Israel. As I read this passage I get the sense that God is exasperated with His chosen people. It’s as if he is saying to them: "What else do I have to do for you? I brought you out of Egypt, I destroyed your enemies, sent you prophets and other holy men to keep you on the straight and narrow, and for what? You sit there and treat your brothers and sisters like property, lord it over the poor, consort with foreign gods, etc. I tell you what, I’m about to give you all a swift kick in the pants, you ungrateful blockheads!"

I certainly don’t blame God for wanting to rough up the Israelites a bit. They had their chances to repent and return to Him. Heck, God even sent prophets and other holy men (and women) to let the Israelites know that they needed to get back in line. Yet Amos’ missive here clearly points to Israel’s inability to hear the words of those God had sent to it. Their concern for ill-gotten wealth, easy love and carefree religion drowned out the words of the prophets. You might say that their self-centered, hedonistic, crass consumeristic lifestyle did the Israelites in for good.

That’s certainly a sobering thought for those of us who live in the West. The similarities between our society and the Israelite society ought to be obvious. Just as the Israelites missed the prophets that God had sent them, I fear that we have missed the Savior that God has sent us. It’s hard for us to see the Christ-child when our eyes are glued to catalogs, advertisements, shiny displays in store windows. We can’t hear the message of Christ’s birth–one of hope and redemption–over the inane Christmas Muzak and commercials blaring from our radios. I know that I need to heed Amos’ words. I need to get off the me-me-me-consume-consume-consume fast-track to destruction. I need to turn off the music, put down the wallet, park the car and take the time to wait on God in expectant silence. I need to remember that the old cliche is true: Jesus is the reason for the season. Without Him, all we have or do is meaningless, leading us only to our destruction.

Amos 2:6-16
6 This is what the LORD says:
"For three sins of Israel,
even for four, I will not turn back {my wrath}.
They sell the righteous for silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals.

7 They trample on the heads of the poor
as upon the dust of the ground
and deny justice to the oppressed.
Father and son use the same girl
and so profane my holy name.

8 They lie down beside every altar
on garments taken in pledge.
In the house of their god
they drink wine taken as fines.

9 "I destroyed the Amorite before them,
though he was tall as the cedars
and strong as the oaks.
I destroyed his fruit above
and his roots below.

10 "I brought you up out of Egypt,
and I led you forty years in the desert
to give you the land of the Amorites.

11 I also raised up prophets from among your sons
and Nazirites from among your young men.
Is this not true, people of Israel?" declares the LORD.

12 "But you made the Nazirites drink wine
and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.

13 "Now then, I will crush you
as a cart crushes when loaded with grain.

14 The swift will not escape,
the strong will not muster their strength,
and the warrior will not save his life.

15 The archer will not stand his ground,
the fleet-footed soldier will not get away,
and the horseman will not save his life.

16 Even the bravest warriors
will flee naked on that day,"
declares the LORD.