Woe To Those At Ease

Devastating tornadoes in the South. An entire nation still reeling from a horrific hurricane and it's never-ending effects. Children eating rocks at night in order to trick their bellies into feeling full.

The world's list of problems is by no means short, and by no means does it end there. Everywhere we look, people are crying out for help. Whether we hear them or not, well, that's up to us.

Amidst all this turmoil, a luxurious royal wedding occurred. Wealthy - and not-so-wealthy - citizens from all across the globe spent luxurious days and weeks on cruise ships. Everyday activities still took place: a day at work, an hour at class, hours preparing for finals.

This week, as I read through the book of Amos, I was struck by the thought: Should this be? Although this passage may be prophetic for the Day of the Lord, I believe it has something that we can apply to our lives today. Here's what the LORD says through His servant Amos:

"Woe to those who are at ease in Zion . . .

Those who recline on beds of ivory

and sprawl on their couches,

and eat lambs from the flock

and calves from the midst of the stall,

Who improvise to the sound of the harp,

and like David have composed songs for themselves,

Who drink wine from sacrificial bowls

while they anoint themselves with the finest of oils,

Yet they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph." (Amos 6:1, 4-6)

It's easy for disasters to shake us up; to stir us to action . . . at least for awhile. And then, somehow, we fall comfortably back into the routine of our lives. The disasters that don't directly affect us become distant memories and we once again recline on our beds of ivory - our lives of comfort.

But, I don't think this is what the Lord wants us to do. We've been blessed to be a blessing, not blessed to enjoy it all by ourselves. So, brothers and sisters in Jesus: what should we do? How can we be caring for those around us - even those miles away from us? I pray that we will be actively living out our faith in the desperate days we live in.