Daily Worship (Sept 21)
Devotional 1: The Roar of the Lord
Amos 1:2 (NIV)
He said: “The Lord roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the top of Carmel withers.”
Devotional Thought
The book of Amos begins with a roar. God is pictured as a lion, His voice shaking the land from Zion to Carmel. This is not the soft purr of a pet but the roar of the King of all creation. God is warning His people that judgment is coming, and nothing will be left untouched.
At the time, Israel was at the height of wealth and comfort. Business was booming, houses were full, and the people thought life was secure. But prosperity had blinded them. They ignored God’s law, mistreated the poor, and turned to false gods. In their comfort, they forgot the roar of the Lord.
For us, this is a reminder that God is not silent about sin. He cares about how people are treated. He cares when the poor are crushed, when justice is denied, when worship is fake. His roar cuts through our excuses and confronts our blind spots. But the good news is this: the same Lion who roars against sin is also the Lamb who was slain for sinners. In Jesus, judgment fell on Him so that mercy could fall on us. If we hear His roar today, it is a call to repent, to trust Him, and to live differently.
COMMA Questions
Prayer
Lord, Your roar reminds me that You are holy and just. Forgive me for the times I ignore Your voice or grow comfortable in my sin. Thank You that Jesus bore the roar of Your judgment so that I could receive mercy. Help me live with ears open to Your Word and a heart ready to obey. Amen.
He said: “The Lord roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the top of Carmel withers.”
Devotional Thought
The book of Amos begins with a roar. God is pictured as a lion, His voice shaking the land from Zion to Carmel. This is not the soft purr of a pet but the roar of the King of all creation. God is warning His people that judgment is coming, and nothing will be left untouched.
At the time, Israel was at the height of wealth and comfort. Business was booming, houses were full, and the people thought life was secure. But prosperity had blinded them. They ignored God’s law, mistreated the poor, and turned to false gods. In their comfort, they forgot the roar of the Lord.
For us, this is a reminder that God is not silent about sin. He cares about how people are treated. He cares when the poor are crushed, when justice is denied, when worship is fake. His roar cuts through our excuses and confronts our blind spots. But the good news is this: the same Lion who roars against sin is also the Lamb who was slain for sinners. In Jesus, judgment fell on Him so that mercy could fall on us. If we hear His roar today, it is a call to repent, to trust Him, and to live differently.
COMMA Questions
- Context: How does Amos begin his book, and why do you think he starts with a roar from God?
- Observation: What details stand out in the verse about God’s roar and its effect on the land?
- Meaning: What does God’s roar represent, and why is it both terrifying and merciful?
- Main Idea: How does God’s roar remind His people of their need to return to Him?
- Application: Where might you be ignoring God’s roar in your life today, and how can you respond in repentance and faith?
Prayer
Lord, Your roar reminds me that You are holy and just. Forgive me for the times I ignore Your voice or grow comfortable in my sin. Thank You that Jesus bore the roar of Your judgment so that I could receive mercy. Help me live with ears open to Your Word and a heart ready to obey. Amen.
Devotional 2: Let Justice Roll On
Amos 5:24 (NIV)
But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
Devotional Thought
This verse is the heartbeat of Amos. Israel was very religious. They sang songs, brought offerings, and celebrated festivals. But God said He hated it all because their worship was empty. They sang to God while they crushed the poor. They prayed while they denied justice in the courts. Their worship was all show and no substance.
True worship always flows into how we live. If our faith doesn’t change the way we treat people, it isn’t real. God says He doesn’t just want songs—He wants justice. He doesn’t just want offerings—He wants righteousness. Like a river that never dries up, God wants justice and righteousness to flow steadily from His people into the world.
For us, this means that faith and justice cannot be separated. If we love God, we must love our neighbor. If we worship Jesus, we must follow His heart for the poor, the oppressed, and the vulnerable. The gospel reminds us that Jesus gave up His privilege to serve us. He laid down His life so that we could be lifted up. If we belong to Him, we will be shaped to do the same.
COMMA Questions
Prayer
Lord, I confess that I sometimes separate my worship from my daily life. Forgive me for empty religion. Thank You for Jesus, who lived perfectly just and righteous on my behalf. By Your Spirit, help justice and righteousness flow out of my life like a river, bringing blessing to others and glory to You. Amen.
But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
Devotional Thought
This verse is the heartbeat of Amos. Israel was very religious. They sang songs, brought offerings, and celebrated festivals. But God said He hated it all because their worship was empty. They sang to God while they crushed the poor. They prayed while they denied justice in the courts. Their worship was all show and no substance.
True worship always flows into how we live. If our faith doesn’t change the way we treat people, it isn’t real. God says He doesn’t just want songs—He wants justice. He doesn’t just want offerings—He wants righteousness. Like a river that never dries up, God wants justice and righteousness to flow steadily from His people into the world.
For us, this means that faith and justice cannot be separated. If we love God, we must love our neighbor. If we worship Jesus, we must follow His heart for the poor, the oppressed, and the vulnerable. The gospel reminds us that Jesus gave up His privilege to serve us. He laid down His life so that we could be lifted up. If we belong to Him, we will be shaped to do the same.
COMMA Questions
- Context: How does this verse contrast with God’s rejection of Israel’s false worship in the verses before it?
- Observation: What two images are used to describe what God wants from His people?
- Meaning: Why does God compare justice and righteousness to rivers and streams?
- Main Idea: How does this verse show that true worship is not just about rituals but about justice and righteousness?
- Application: How can you let justice and righteousness flow in your own life this week—in your home, work, or community?
Prayer
Lord, I confess that I sometimes separate my worship from my daily life. Forgive me for empty religion. Thank You for Jesus, who lived perfectly just and righteous on my behalf. By Your Spirit, help justice and righteousness flow out of my life like a river, bringing blessing to others and glory to You. Amen.
Devotional 3: The Good Shepherd Restores
Amos 9:11–12 (NIV)
“In that day I will restore David’s fallen shelter— I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins— and will rebuild it as it used to be, 12 so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name,” declares the Lord, who will do these things.
Devotional Thought
After chapter upon chapter of judgment, Amos ends with hope. God promises to restore David’s fallen shelter, to rebuild what sin had ruined, and to expand His kingdom to include “all the nations that bear my name.” Israel’s sin deserved destruction, but God promised restoration.
This promise points us forward to Jesus. He is the Son of David who came to restore God’s kingdom. At the cross, He took the punishment for our sin, and in His resurrection, He began the rebuilding of God’s people. In Him, the walls are repaired, the ruins restored, and the nations are gathered in.
This matters because it shows that our hope is not in our own justice or righteousness—we fail like Israel. Our hope is in Christ, the Good Shepherd. He lays down His life for the sheep. He rebuilds what we have broken. He makes us part of His kingdom that will never be uprooted.
When life feels broken, remember that God is in the business of restoration. He not only forgives your past but also calls you into a future where His justice and righteousness will cover the earth like waters cover the sea.
COMMA Questions
Prayer
Father, thank You that judgment is not the end of the story. Thank You for Jesus, the Son of David, who restores what sin has broken. Help me to trust Your promises of restoration and to live with hope, knowing that in Christ, I belong to a kingdom that will never fall. Amen.
“In that day I will restore David’s fallen shelter— I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins— and will rebuild it as it used to be, 12 so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name,” declares the Lord, who will do these things.
Devotional Thought
After chapter upon chapter of judgment, Amos ends with hope. God promises to restore David’s fallen shelter, to rebuild what sin had ruined, and to expand His kingdom to include “all the nations that bear my name.” Israel’s sin deserved destruction, but God promised restoration.
This promise points us forward to Jesus. He is the Son of David who came to restore God’s kingdom. At the cross, He took the punishment for our sin, and in His resurrection, He began the rebuilding of God’s people. In Him, the walls are repaired, the ruins restored, and the nations are gathered in.
This matters because it shows that our hope is not in our own justice or righteousness—we fail like Israel. Our hope is in Christ, the Good Shepherd. He lays down His life for the sheep. He rebuilds what we have broken. He makes us part of His kingdom that will never be uprooted.
When life feels broken, remember that God is in the business of restoration. He not only forgives your past but also calls you into a future where His justice and righteousness will cover the earth like waters cover the sea.
COMMA Questions
- Context: How does this passage of hope come after the warnings and visions of judgment in Amos?
- Observation: What promises does God make about restoring David’s fallen shelter?
- Meaning: What does it mean that all nations that bear God’s name will be included in this restored kingdom?
- Main Idea: How does this passage show that God’s final word is not judgment but restoration through His kingdom?
- Application: Where do you need to trust God to restore what is broken in your life today?
Prayer
Father, thank You that judgment is not the end of the story. Thank You for Jesus, the Son of David, who restores what sin has broken. Help me to trust Your promises of restoration and to live with hope, knowing that in Christ, I belong to a kingdom that will never fall. Amen.
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