#DailyDevotion Don’t Give The LORD A Reason To Call You A Fat Cow
Amos 4 Listen to this, you cows of Bashan on the hill of Samaria, oppressing the poor and crushing the needy and telling your husbands, “Bring it and let’s drink.” 2The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness: “Certainly the days will come on you when you will be taken away with hooks, and the last of you with fishhooks. 3Each of you will go out straight ahead through the break in the wall, and you will be sent away to Harmon,” says the LORD.
The LORD our God certainly has a way with words. The land of Bashan was given to the tribes of Israel who mainly raised cattle. The land was very rich and so the cattle ate quite well. They were the wagyu beef of the day. The LORD is calling the women of Samaria, particularly the wealthy ones fat cows. They are particularly fat at the expense of the widow, the fatherless, the foreigners, the priests and the rest of the poor. They tell their husbands, “Bring it and let’s drink.” Oh my! As Cindy Lauper once said, “Girls just want to have fun.” Their happiness is all that matters to them no matter the cost or harm done to others.
The LORD accuses them of oppressing the poor and the needy. We conservative Christians really need to take note of this. We who don’t want the government involved in welfare programs, mainly because we know their systems are abused and are full of waste, must be liberal in our own lives and in and with the Church—particularly our congregations. The LORD our God has not given us more than we need for the day to hoard it to ourselves. While the Israelites had laws concerning the poor, compelling the Israelites to gather funds for them, we in all Christian freedom, who have been freed from the constraints of the Law, should feel the joy the LORD wants to give us by acting like Him as He is toward us—grace, mercy, peace, steadfast love, and forgiveness (the name of Jesus Ex. 34:6).
When we withhold our hands from giving to those in need, who beg and the like, we are oppressing those people. We might not be able to help every person we meet, particularly in the cities where there are 10, 20, sometime 30 or more sitting there begging. But you can extend your hand to one and make sure s/he eats that day. You can make sure homeless kitchens are financed. There of course are numerous groups that buy kids shoes, coats, and provide weekend backpacks for kids who have nothing over the weekend because their parents spend all their money on drugs. If your church doesn’t have a benevolence fund for the pastor to help people who come to the church, start one. He hates having to turn people away. Rarely do any of these people ever have a nice car. And don’t forget the people especially in your own congregation. Remember, it was mostly fellow Israelites whom these women were getting fat on. There should not be one single member of your congregation who lacks adequate food, proper clothing, and shelter for the day. There are some people who have long periods of need. Perhaps it is some inadequacy of intelligence, education, or who knows, the congregation, and that means you individually, are called to help that person or family.
Hear the judgment of the LORD towards these fat cows! He swears by Himself since there is nothing higher. He is going to rip them from their comfortable positions and be carried off by the Assyrians. We should take heed lest our LORD Jesus Christ rips us from our comfortable positions because we are not personally liberal to those in need. God has shown His liberalness to us in His Son Jesus Christ who died for the sins of the world. Go and do likewise.
Heavenly Father, You have bestowed upon us such great grace and mercy in Christ Jesus. Grant us a graceful and merciful heart to those in need. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.