Let Justice Roll: God's Urgent Call
Daily Scripture
Amos 5:21-24
21 I hate, I reject your festivals;
I don’t enjoy your joyous assemblies.
22 If you bring me your entirely burned offerings and gifts of food—
I won’t be pleased;
I won’t even look at your offerings of well-fed animals.
23 Take away the noise of your songs;
I won’t listen to the melody of your harps.
24 But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
In April 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was jailed in Birmingham, AL for leading non-violent protests against the city’s blatant racism. A group of Christian clergymen criticized Dr. King as an “extremist.” He responded in the famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” * In that letter, he asked, “Was not Amos an extremist for justice: ‘Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream’?” Dr. King’s questions have as much resonance today as they did in 1963.
- It’s only human to assume, in any situation that involves us, that we are the “good guys.” That’s what the eight clergymen to whom Dr. King responded assumed, even as they at least implicitly supported continuing racial segregation and the hate-filled actions it created. ** What moral hazards does that easy assumption create if it keeps us from examining our attitudes and actions? How can we be wiser than the (outwardly) very religious Israelites to whom Amos spoke? ***
- What opportunities do you have in your regular round of daily activities to act in ways that result in loving justice and righteousness? What risks or costs do those choices involve? How willing are you to consistently act on God’s call through Amos to allow divine love to “let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream”?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, what a vision—an ever-flowing stream of righteousness rolling down in a waterfall of justice! Embed that vision in my heart and make me a channel through whom that stream can flow. Amen.
GPS Insights
Shannon Starek
Shannon Starek serves as the location pastor for Resurrection Liberty. When she wrote this post for us in 2023, she served as Director of Discipleship at Resurrection Downtown. She loves to travel and has been to 49 states, 11 countries and lived in Vancouver, Canada for grad school! When not gallivanting all over the world, she lives in Liberty with her husband, Aaron, and two sons, Owen and Porter.
I love fly fishing. As a child I learned early on that fly fishing was important to my family. I grew up in southwest Missouri with several spring-fed rivers and streams nearby. I remember going camping and seeing my dad head out to fly fish. At some point along the way, I wanted to join in. I learned that my grandma had actually been the one to teach my grandpa, my dad and my uncle, and so I became the next one in my family to learn the art of fly fishing.
When I read, “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 4:24), I can’t help but think of the rivers and waters I’ve stood along. If given enough time, these waters even carve a path in the earth and rock. When thinking of the waters of justice, we often want a quick response. A great tragedy or wrongdoing has happened, and we want justice to come just as quickly as the offense did. Sometimes though, it is a long time coming, like the passing of time in creating a river. And yet, just as the waters continue to roll down, justice will eventually come.
As I grew up and continued to fly fish, I was given a copy of A River Runs Through It from my dad. Whether you know the short story or only the movie, it ends with this final passage from Norman Maclean as he reflects upon the river he has fished his entire life…
“Then in the Arctic half-light of the canyon, all existence fades to a being with my soul and memories and the sounds of the Big Blackfoot River and a four-count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise. Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world’s great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters.”
May we be haunted by waters until justice and righteousness come more fully to the earth.
© 2024 Resurrection: A United Methodist Church. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* You can click here to read the full text of King’s powerful letter.
** In his letter, Dr. King included examples for the clergy to consider: “I doubt that you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its dogs sinking their teeth into unarmed, nonviolent Negroes. I doubt that you would so quickly commend the policemen if you were to observe their ugly and inhumane treatment of Negroes here in the city jail; if you were to watch them push and curse old Negro women and young Negro girls; if you were to see them slap and kick old Negro men and young boys; if you were to observe them, as they did on two occasions, refuse to give us food because we wanted to sing our grace together.”
*** “Amos was a stern advocate for justice and righteousness (Amos 5:24), but he found Israel full of injustice and oppression (Amos 2:6-8; 5:10-13; 8:4-6). He charged the people with hypocritical worship (Amos 4:4-5; 5:21-23) and idolatry (Amos 5:27; 5:26; 8:14).” –J. Andrew Dearman, introduction to Amos in The CEB Study Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2013, p. 1454 OT.
