Depending on God

Scripture – Amos 6:11-14: ¹¹For the LORD has given the command, and he will smash the great house into pieces and the small house into bits. ¹²Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness—¹³you who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar and say, “Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?” ¹⁴For the LORD God Almighty declares, “I will stir up a nation against you, O house of Israel, that will oppress you all the way from Lebo Hamath to the valley of the Arabah.”

Observation – (Write down what you see in the scripture.) One of the hardest things to remember is God’s strength is made complete in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). Israel had reached the point where they didn’t need God. They (at least, those in power) took care of themselves and provided for themselves. They felt like they were totally in control. So the punishment for them will be to lose control. Another nation will take them over and oppress them as they have been oppressing the poor among them.

Application – (Write how you will be different today because of what you have just read.) Salvation begins when I recognize I cannot save myself. Following that beginning, spiritual growth is pretty much a process of letting go of more and more control in my life – trusting and allowing Christ to be the guiding influence in all of life. I have identified one area of my life where I need to do that. I will let it go as I give it over to Christ’s control today.

Prayer – (Write out a brief prayer.) Lord Jesus, help me do that today. I cannot do it without you. Give me peace and strength this day to live more fully by letting you live more fully in me.