A Balanced Life

There are some texts in the Word which should guarantee a good sermon.  Of course, even a good preacher can bomb on a given Sunday regardless of the text, but it never hurts to have one that preaches easily. One such text is found in the latter part of the fifth chapter of Amos.  It begins with "I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies,"  and ends with "But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream."  (Amos 5:21-24)  The prophet was speaking to a people who thought that their religious liturgy was all that was needed to please God, but, of course, they were wrong.    

It is always an easy thing for religious people to compartmentalize expressions of faith to the point that one becomes so primary all the rest end up being neglected and forgotten.  What we do in the sanctuary is important and has value, but it is empty without right living in the world.  A faith that is completely vertical in expression is a faith gone awry.     

Jesus sought to underscore the balance when He told the Pharisees of His day, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment."  And then He added, "And a second is like it:  You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  (Matthew 22:37-39)  We can live with our head stuck in heaven so much that we become of no earthly use and in the same manner, we can stick our head in the things of earth to the  point that we are unrecognizable in heaven.  Life is always lived better in balance.  It is no different as we seek to live with faith that is balanced between the incense of worship and the sweat of service.