This week we started our series on the OT Prophets.  This week's theme was "Justice."  One of the main passages came from Amos 4 where the prophet Amos calls the nation of Israel uncaring and apathetic towards the poor and needy in the countries around them.  He calls them, “Cows of Bashan.”  In other words he is painting a picture of these lazy, rich, people who don’t care about the needs of others. 

“Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria,
you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy
     and say to your husbands, "Bring us some drinks!"
  The Sovereign LORD has sworn by his holiness:
     "The time will surely come
when you will be taken away with hooks,
     the last of you with fishhooks.

The problem is what will happen to these people.  Amos says, “The time will come when you will be taken away with hooks.”  I think Amos is painting a picture of Judgment Day here for the nation.  God is saying that those who have the means to help and don’t will be held accountable for their inaction.  

The upside of passages like this is that GOD does CARE.  God Cares about the poor, the oppressed, those taken advantage of.  God desires Justice and Mercy.  Can you imagine what life and faith would be like if God DIDN'T care about these issues and people?  That would be a cold and heartless god.  That would be a god not worth worshipping and following.

Here are some things to think about this week:

• What are some issues about poverty that you have not really cared about? (Immigration, homelessness, preventable diseases, Made in the Streets?)
• What are the things that GOD cares about in our world that may not be getting the attention it deserves?
  
• What are the INJUSTICES you see in the world?  What wrongs ought to be righted?
• Amos calls the nation of Israel to change, in what ways ought we as the church change to care about the needs around us?
• What needs might we address just in our community? (poverty, homelessness, immigration?)
• What can YOU do to help?