I used to be a cowboy.
I still wear the boots, the belt and jeans, even an occasional cowboy hat. But I use to BE a cowboy. I worked the herds; caught, doctored and tagged (and, yes, castrated) the calves—the male ones—at least. It was my job. I rode horses and roped, but not very well, I hate to admit. I also had to run cattle through the chutes and into the pens, where they were sorted. In doing that, I could come back to the ranch house with some pretty smelly boots. I would get immune to the stench, but other people—not so much. “Get away from me… you stink!” I heard it more than once. With that story in mind, listen to the words of the prophet Amos 5:18,20-24
“Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord! (the Second Coming) Why do you long for the day of the Lord? …Will not the day of the Lord be darkness, not light—pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness? 21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. 22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. 23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. 24 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”
These words of the Lord came to the Israelites—the people of God—at a time when they had forgotten the meaning of justice. In their country, the rich were getting richer and poor were falling by the wayside. There was little in the way of concern for one’s fellow man… or woman, and this was all disgusting to God. Meanwhile, they were big on religious activities. They had their festivals with the prescribed sacrifices and their worship services with praise music and offerings. Yet, because their actions toward the needy around them were unkind, God was offended by their feeble attempts at worship. Apparently, actions spoke louder than words back in those days; it’s still true today.
If God rejected his children back then for offering praises without showing any real concern for the needs of people around them…
I can’t help but wonder—how do I smell to God?
Leave a Reply