Title: Contrasting Attitudes/Topic: True Spirituality

Today’s Reading: Amos 4; Amos 5; Amos 6; Psalm 86; Titus 1

Scripture: Amos 4:4,5; Psalm 86:1,2,11
4 "Go to Bethel and sin; go to Gilgal and sin yet more. Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three years. 5 Burn leavened bread as a thank offering and brag about your freewill offerings— boast about them, you Israelites, for this is what you love to do," declares the Sovereign LORD.
1 Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Observation: It is interesting to contrast the attitudes of the people of Israel in Amos with the attitude of David expressed in the Psalm. God is speaking through Amos about the spiritually proud attitude of the nation and he notes that they love to be involved in their religious practices of worship; tithing, worshiping and offering. They brag about how spiritual they are. In their minds they are just fine with God. But God is not fine with them. He declares that though they brag about their religious conduct, they sin and do whatever pleases them without regard for how the Lord says they should be living. In contrast, David prays to God with the attitude of a learner. He is humble before God and doesn't assume that his personal holiness makes him deserving of any particular praise. His focus is not on how holy or righteous he is but on how he can become even more like God.

Application: Since God described David as “a man after God's own heart”, I want to be like he was. I want to be humble before God, expressing my love, devotion and trust in him without an arrogant attitude that I am superior to others in my spirituality because I go to church regularly, tithe, and worship God. What counts is my character. If I am engaging in sin such as harboring bitterness and unforgiveness toward others, gossiping, lust, gluttony, arrogance, I am missing the point completely about what it means to truly be a spiritual person.

Prayer: Father, keep me from any arrogance or feeling of superiority toward others that would dishonor you. I want to be a learner and a seeker of you until the day I leave this life and join you in heaven. May I always keep a humble and teachable spirit. I love you and thank you for your grace in my life.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.