Glory Be to God!

Amos 4:6-13
Verse 13 says, “For lo, the one who forms the mountains, creates the wind, reveals his thoughts to mortals, makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth—the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!” This is a doxology, a description of the glory of God as displayed in some of God’s mighty acts. That it comes at the end of a very harsh assessment of Israel’s relationship with God serves to put the blame squarely on the shoulders of the people. God’s will is the standard by which humanity is measured. Yet in the face of waywardness and injustice, God remains a source of light and life, the voice of truth, the God of hosts.

2 Peter 3:11-18
I am personally challenged by the words of verses 14 and 15. “Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by (God) at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.” The same God to whom Amos offers glory is the God of our salvation, which is born of divine patience with our misdeeds. The challenge for me is to constantly strive to be at peace, which I take to mean in right relationship with God and with my neighbors. I know I will not be found “without spot or blemish” in this regard, but with God’s help I am to aspire to goodness. Even when I am angry or frustrated or disheartened or tired or ready to chunk it all, God calls for my best efforts to God’s glory, and that is certainly not easy for me to do. But with God’s help I will try again, and though I fail a thousand times, I will try a thousand and one.

Matthew 21:33-46
At first glance the words of verse 41 seem a little out of kilter. The wicked tenants have just killed the son and heir of the vineyard. What will the vineyard owner do when he comes? “They said to him, ‘He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time?’” My question is, if his son has just been killed, is the owner of the vineyard really worried about whether the next tenants will give him produce or not? But remember that the vineyard owner represents God and, as verse 43 reminds us, the fruit of the vineyard is really “the fruits of the kingdom.” God is worried about the produce of the vineyard, because it represents a right relationship with God. Those who produce the fruits of the kingdom will care for one another and for the stranger in their midst. They will provide for the widow and orphan, will care for the last and least. They will strive to be found at peace, as 2 Peter encourages us to be, and will give praise to God with lives of righteousness as Amos calls for.