Royston First United Methodist Church

“The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds wither, and the top of Carmel dries up.” – Amos 1:2

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING: Amos 1-3, Psalm 108
 
What is love? We often use this word to describe the euphoric feeling we may have when we are around a certain person. Perhaps we even use the word to describe a feeling we may have for family or friends. But anyone who has loved another knows that love is not always easy.

With love, there will be times when we will experience tough love. With love, there may even be times we may question if we are loved. I imagine this might have been the feeling of the Israelites as Amos shared his prophecy from God. It was a harsh prophecy that spoke of judgment and justice for the wrong of Israel. How could this be love?

Love is more than a feeling. Love is a verb and requires action. There are sometimes when that action may not be welcomed by those we love, but it does not mean that we do not love. Parents must make touch decisions with children. But (hopefully) these decisions are always done in love. The actions of God with the Israelites in Amos are those of love. Although God is disappointed with the Israelites, God still loves the Israelites.

How do you show love to others? How do you put your love in action?

This Sunday, we will be taking a day of Sabbath for our staff and volunteers. We will still worship together online, and we will return to our regular worship schedule the following Sunday. As always, I hope you have a great weekend and I look forward to being with you in worship online beginning Sunday at 8:45 AM!

Blessings,
Matt

P.S. Please continue to be in prayer for those affected by Hurricane Laura this past week. If you would like to know how you can help, we encourage you to make a contribution to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). UMCOR volunteers are often some of the first responders and remain on site through the recovery and rebuilding efforts. For more information about UMCOR, visit their website at UMCOR.org.