Day 199, 18th March: Amos, Romans and Psalms

What are you doing?
By Sam Weightman, Soul Survivor:Called to Lead

Todays Readings Are:
Amos 6:1-7:17
Romans 4:16-5:11
Psalm 86:11-17

Is it just me or is it a bit unsettling when God challenges Israel?

We see that in today’s reading God is once again saying to Israel, “what are you doing?” In the first few verses God is challenging Israel on the way that they live their lives. He is asking them, Why aren’t you living the life that I want you to? From verse 4 onwards we see God challenge those who live in a life of luxury, these idols that are getting in the way. He wants Israel to be living a life that is worthy of him. Its the same principle today. There are things that get in the way of our relationship with God. Facebook, TV, Money, whatever it is God wants us to lay it down and say, no my relationship with you means more.

The thing that I like about God though, no matter what you have done, no matter how many times you mess up, he welcomes us back with open arms. In Romans we see this in chapter 5 verse 2. What this is saying is that God takes away all our imperfections if we hand it to him. We all have areas where we are weak, if we hand them over to God, he will help sort them out. If we link this to the old testament reading, we see that the idols we have built up, whatever they are, when handed to God they are nothing.

God demonstrates his love through Jesus on the cross. In chapter 5 verse 6 & 7 Paul says “very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man.” God sent his son to take away our imperfections and our weaknesses.

Again in the Psalm we see that David is praising God for how much he loves him. Verse 15 says “But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” Today I want to challenge you, to think of something that gets in the way of your relationship with God, but hand it over in prayer to the compassionate, gracious, faithful God David talks about, he wants to help…

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Today’s picture was taken by…
Jess Wiffen. Thanks Jess!

If you’d like to take your own picture to potentially be featured on the blog, then get your Soul Survivor Bible in One Year, and take a picture of yourself – and your Bible – at some interesting or colourful location. Then email it to us at editor@soulsurvivor.com.

The pictures will need to be a pretty good resolution (we use 640px by 360 px so at least as big as that), landscape photos work best and if you include the day of the reading in the picture then make sure you send it to us a good few days before that reading, so we have time to include it in that day’s post! We’ll credit all photographers!