That's Advent

Usually get to the second week of Advent before I really struggle with these.

Usually.

Talking about judgment again is depressing.

But Amos.

Amos can turn a phrase. "I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities...." says God. No food.

I withheld rain...struck you with blight and mildew...laid waste your gardens and vineyards...sent a pestilence...killed your young men with the sword...overthrew some of you....

And we see the ubiquitous road sign at the end of the passage, "Prepare to get your God, O Israel!"

Do I want to meet this God? I want the God who is nice, forgiving, patient, long-suffering...who doesn't make me do what I should but loves me in my habitual mess.

God wants a people who do justice, love kindness, walk humbly.

Is that me?

Ah...the struggle.

That's Advent.

Amos 4:6-13

I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities,
    and lack of bread in all your places,
yet you did not return to me,
says the Lord.

 And I also withheld the rain from you
    when there were still three months to the harvest;
I would send rain on one city,
    and send no rain on another city;
one field would be rained upon,
    and the field on which it did not rain withered;
so two or three towns wandered to one town
    to drink water, and were not satisfied;
yet you did not return to me,
says the Lord.

 I struck you with blight and mildew;
    I laid waste[a] your gardens and your vineyards;
    the locust devoured your fig trees and your olive trees;
yet you did not return to me,
says the Lord.

 I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt;
    I killed your young men with the sword;
I carried away your horses;[b]
    and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils;
yet you did not return to me,
says the Lord.

 I overthrew some of you,
    as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
    and you were like a brand snatched from the fire;
yet you did not return to me,
says the Lord.

 Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;
    because I will do this to you,
    prepare to meet your God, O Israel!

 For lo, the one who forms the mountains, creates the wind,
    reveals his thoughts to mortals,
makes the morning darkness,
    and treads on the heights of the earth—
    the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!