Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Amos 6:1, 4-7a – “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel comes! … Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall, who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music, who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! Therefore they shall now be the first of those who go into exile.”
What’s the problem with these people Amos is describing? It’s not their musical skill, or their taste in food or furniture. The problem is their hearts. They “are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.” They have watched their country fall apart around them—full of people who worship idols, who run after money and exploit the poor. And they don’t care. It means nothing to them.
These are people who could have made a difference, if they had tried. They have money themselves. They have plenty of free time. If they had wanted to, they could have led their countrymen into better ways. They could have helped the widows and orphans directly, and set a good example. They could have used their power for good. They did not. They didn’t care.
And so, Amos says, God’s punishment for evil is coming on them first of all. Then they will care, all right—but it will be too late.
But it’s not too late for us. Because we, too, need our hearts softened. It’s so easy to look at the needs around us and throw up our hands in despair. “I can’t fix it—no one can fix it—surely God doesn’t expect me to do anything about this problem personally, does He?”
He does. And because He knows us well, He doesn’t waste His time yelling at us. He does something far more effective—He comes into our world as our Savior.
This is what God was doing when He was born into our world as one of us. Jesus came to set us free from sin, to take away our hard hearts and give us hearts like His own. He used His own suffering and death to break the power of the devil over us; He died and rose again so that we, too, can have new lives, new hearts. And He gives us His Holy Spirit to transform us and make us new people—people who are “little Christs,” reflecting His love and compassion to the people around us.
Now that we belong to Him, and our hearts are becoming like His, He can use us to reach out to those who need help. Jesus can use us to transform our world. It won’t happen overnight, no—but Jesus has done far greater things. Let Him have you—and let Him use you.
WE PRAY: Dear Lord, I want to care about what You care about, because I know that You have loved me. Make my heart like Yours. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions: