A Dangerous Assumption
Possibly the most dangerous assumption for American Christians is that God always accepts our worship.
If we sing a worship song, we think that God will hear us and be pleased. Or, stated even more bluntly, we think that a few songs will appease God for another week, at least until we sing a few more songs next week. God will always hear and enjoy when we sing.
The message of Amos 5:21-24 is drastically different. Consider these harsh words from the God we worship: "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." (ESV, italics added)
This was an instance in Biblical history that teaches us an important principle about God's character. Not only does He sometimes "not listen" to our melodies, but sometimes He hates and despises our music. Sometimes He would rather not be sung to at all.
To be more accurate, God never uses the word "worship" in this passage. The reason for this is that the Israelites weren't worshiping; they were missing it all together. They had the noise of songs and the melodies of harps, but were not worshiping.
You see, at the same time that the Israelites were enjoying their music, they were continuing on with a long list of offenses, including injustice (2:7), incest (2:7), impurity (2:12), opression and drunkenness (4:1), and deceipt (5:1). Numerous times, the Israelites were reminded of how they had turned "justice into bitterness" and had trampled the poor. (2:31, 5:7,11) Unfortunately, the Israelites responded with complacency -- strumming away on their harps and improvising new melodies (6:5).
Applying this to our lives, when we worship God, we must face reality. We must ask ourselves tough questions before we sing. Are we living lives of justice? Are we honest and pure? How does our worship relate to our everyday life? How are we treating the poor and helpless? Are we living lives that are pleasing to God?
As difficult as it sounds, only when we sort through those issues will God truly delight in our worship.
If we sing a worship song, we think that God will hear us and be pleased. Or, stated even more bluntly, we think that a few songs will appease God for another week, at least until we sing a few more songs next week. God will always hear and enjoy when we sing.
The message of Amos 5:21-24 is drastically different. Consider these harsh words from the God we worship: "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." (ESV, italics added)
This was an instance in Biblical history that teaches us an important principle about God's character. Not only does He sometimes "not listen" to our melodies, but sometimes He hates and despises our music. Sometimes He would rather not be sung to at all.
To be more accurate, God never uses the word "worship" in this passage. The reason for this is that the Israelites weren't worshiping; they were missing it all together. They had the noise of songs and the melodies of harps, but were not worshiping.
You see, at the same time that the Israelites were enjoying their music, they were continuing on with a long list of offenses, including injustice (2:7), incest (2:7), impurity (2:12), opression and drunkenness (4:1), and deceipt (5:1). Numerous times, the Israelites were reminded of how they had turned "justice into bitterness" and had trampled the poor. (2:31, 5:7,11) Unfortunately, the Israelites responded with complacency -- strumming away on their harps and improvising new melodies (6:5).
Applying this to our lives, when we worship God, we must face reality. We must ask ourselves tough questions before we sing. Are we living lives of justice? Are we honest and pure? How does our worship relate to our everyday life? How are we treating the poor and helpless? Are we living lives that are pleasing to God?
As difficult as it sounds, only when we sort through those issues will God truly delight in our worship.
posted by jaybox | 9:35 AM
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