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All Part of the Story
On the flight home from a vacation out west, my seatmate asked me what I do Read More
Jes Kast | Read Psalm 82:1-8
It was 1996. It was my first winter-holiday vacation of middle school. It was also the first time in my life that I cheated on an exam. I did not rest easy during that vacation.
I had put so much pressure on myself to succeed on my science exam that...
Divine Judge, your loving-kindness is the measure of mercy. Mercy transforms us to do more kindness. Help us to accept your mercy and to be merciful to others. Amen.
Amos and the psalmist speak of the divine judgment of God. For Amos’ audience, judgment will come because they have ignored God’s warnings. The psalmist warns of judgment against those who oppress the weak and needy and fail to protect them from the wicked. These passages leave us with an understanding that human righteousness falls short of God’s expectations. When we read the Luke and Colossians passages in light of the Hebrew texts, we see hints as to what the rule of judgment should be—mercy and love. Live in the way of mercy and love, and you will be filled with all spiritual wisdom, as Colossians proclaims. This is the measure of a good society: mercy and love.
• Read Amos 7:7-17. Look for God’s plumb line in the world. In what ways is the ground you stand on askew?
• Read Psalm 82. If you sit on the council of the Most High, how does this change your perspective on the world?
• Read Colossians 1:1-14. Prayers of mere words are just the beginning of prayer. To what prayerful actions do your prayerful words call you?
• Read Luke 10:25-37. Consider how you live out Jesus’ call to love your neighbor.
Respond by posting a prayer.
