March 11, 2020
"God Has Expectations"
 

"This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: a basket of ripe fruit.  What do you see, Amos? He asked.  A basket of ripe fruit, I answered.  Then the Lord said to me, the time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer."
Amos 8:1-2 NIV

 
God warns Amos of a coming time of destruction and famine.  The people of Israel had been lying, cheating, and scamming the poor in the marketplace.  This oppression and ill treatment of the poor displeases God so much that he promises a famine – a famine for the word of God.  The people of Israel are mistreating the poorest members of their society.  God has expectations for how we treat people we know and encounter in our lives.  To treat people with anything other than love and compassion and acceptance is to ignore the expectations God has set for us and to distance ourselves from God.
 
Prayer:  O God, help us to remember the expectations you have for us as we interact with others.  May you remind us that we are called to love and accept others regardless of any differences we may have.  Thank you for being the perfect example of love.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

 Word of the Week:
Sacrifice