The prophet Amos probably lived about 8 centuries before the birth of Christ. In this passage, Amos is speaking to the people of Israel and Judah, and he is prophesying about the anger of God toward his chosen people, people who have turned away from following God’s commands and from seeking justice for all. God is not satisfied by worship rituals and songs; God demands “changed behavior—seeking God’s will, treating others with Justice, and following God’s commands.” (Illustrated Dictionary of the Bible, p. 44)

Amos describes justice as a mighty river that rolls through history, delivering righteousness at the darkest times. Over the course of history, justice seems to be an impossible dream, yet it prevails again and again. In recent centuries, we have seen this justice in the days of the American Civil War, when the Underground Railroad carried blacks from slavery into freedom; we have seen this justice prevail in World War 2 as the German army was soundly defeated and Hitler’s leaders were tried in International Courts. We have seen justice prevail in the non-violent Civil Rights marches of the 1960s.

It would be easy today to lose heart and say that the mighty stream of justice has turned into a trickle. But we live in a tiny patch of time, and God lives in eternity. God continues to send prophets to warn us and to inspire us with hope. All around us there are those who bring justice into the world.

One example is the story of Master Sergeant Roddie Edmunds, a Blount County native who fought in WWII. His son, Chris Edmunds, is the pastor of Piney Grove Baptist Church, and he discovered his father’s story of bravery after Roddie Edmunds’ death. After doing much research, Chris wrote a book titled No Surrender. Near the end of WWII in 1944, Roddie Edmunds and his regiment were captured in the Battle of the Bulge. Their Nazi captors lined all the prisoners up and ordered Roddie, the senior non-commissioned officer of the American prisoners, to point out the Jews in his command. Roddie knew the Nazis planned to kill the Jewish soldiers, and he replied, “We are all Jews here.” He refused to single out anyone under his command and saved more than 200 lives. Justice rolled down like a river in a very dark time.

Another example is Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1963, he stood at the Washington Mall surrounded by over 200,000 Americans. In his speech, now known as “I Have a Dream,” King stated, “In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred….Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.” King believed in non-violent protest and meeting violence with love. In the middle of the speech, he builds to a crescendo with the words, “No, no we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” Though King was assassinated in 1968, his prophetic speech helped bring about the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Whether we recognize it or not, God’s justice is at work in our world and even through our own lives. It is not always evident in the moment, but it will prevail as long as we seek God’s will.

Let us pray: Thank you, God, for reminding us that we are your tools for justice. Help us to see the injustices around us, and to respond to them. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

This devotion was written by Laura Derr and read by Judy Wilson?

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

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