Amos 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow I shall be busy as we host the East Midlands Baptist Day at KMFC, but my good friend Elisabeth is travelling to London, to take part in the "Put People First" March ahead of G20 summit. We've been reading Amos in our Quiet Times this week, and I was reminded again of the wonderful sculpture in Coventry Cathedral of God's plumbline hanging over the city.

Like Israel, we have deviated from God's standards, and we have allowed greed and selfishness to get in the way of justice and fairness.

Who can sound the depths of sorrow
In the Father heart of God
For the children we've rejected
For the lives so deeply scarred?
And each light that we've extinguished
Has brought darkness to our land
Upon our nation, upon our nation
Have mercy, Lord

We have scorned the truth you gave us
We have bowed to other lords
We have sacrificed the children
On the altars of our gods
O let truth again shine on us
Let your holy fear descend
Upon our nation, upon our nation
Have mercy, Lord

Who can stand before your anger?
Who can face your piercing eyes?
For you love the weak and helpless
And you hear the victims' cries
Yes, you are a God of justice
And your judgement surely comes
Upon our nation, upon our nation
Have mercy, Lord

Who will stand against the violence?
Who will comfort those who mourn?
In an age of cruel rejection
Who will build for love a home?
Come and shake us into action
Come and melt our hearts of stone
Upon your people, upon your people
Have mercy, Lord

Who can sound the depths of mercy
In the Father heart of God?
For there is a Man of sorrows
Who for sinners shed his blood
He can heal the wounds of nations
He can wash the guilty clean
Because of Jesus, because of Jesus
Have mercy, Lord