Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. — Amos 5:14 KJV
Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. — Amos 5:14 NIV
Reflection
It never ceases to amaze me how many people assert that God is on their side. People who want to perpetuate slavery, conduct discrimination, lie, bribe officials, exercise hypocrisy, force injustice on the powerless, and engage in “ethnic cleansing” have “claimed” God as their justification for their actions. But God makes it fairly clear how we will pass or fail the test: either we will do what is good and strive after what is good, or we will not be related. According to the words of the prophet Amos, this referred to ensuring that all people were treated fairly in the courts, the marketplace, and the places of worship. If we are going to assert that God is on our side, then we had best go as close as possible to God’s side, which is the side of goodness, justice, and mercy according to God’s definitions.
My Prayer
Heavenly Father, I give thanks to you since you care for those who are neglected most of the time. Your heart is full of mercy, and you are a lover of justice and equity. Convict me when I side with evil and oppression through the presence of your Holy Spirit within me, and stir me up to work for the salvation of others, of my culture, and of my world — not just salvation from the eternal state, but salvation from the evil and hatred that are so pervasive in the world. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.