Have you ever stood on a bridge and just watched the water flow under it and away? There's something mesmerizing about it.A river stream flows around bends, curves, and rocks unceasingly, unless there's a severe drought, then the stream may well dry up. If it's tidal ocean, passing under that bridge below your feet, that's something else. It can be frightening. There's danger there where a river appears calmer, a more pleasant association, but perhaps deceitfully so. The pull of the flow may have equal strength to tidal currents.
As a child, my siblings and friends who lived on the non-school side of the bridge, had to walk to and fro across that one lane connection. All seasons of the year we'd traverse it. All conditions, rain, snow, sleet or sun. It could be slippery.
At times we'd stop and watch the water especially when the tide came in to that Atlantic Ocean inlet. The water channel narrowed at that bridge site and the water would forcefully, 'squeeze' itself through.
We'd look down at that rushing, swirling, whirlpooling water and hear our parents' warnings in our heads. It definitely was not something to play with. Although, kids being kids, if there was a fallen leaf or bird feather we'd found, we'd drop it over and watch it hurry fast away. Even pebbles would rivet our attention as we'd mark how it too, would escape along from its entry point.
There was, absolutely, an ever-flowing stream of water, whether ebb or flow of those tidal waters. Despite the different connotation this conjures up compared to a river's more congenial-looking flowing stream, there is an infinite aura to the concept of 'ever-flowing'.
In this case, it's about God's justice and righteousness.
"But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream" (Amos 5:24 ESV).
Amos was likely talking about a river's stream, but we can get his analogy. He was pronouncing and prophesying coming judgement. He told the Israelites that their peace offerings and their songs of praise and their musical harp instrumentals and melodies of supposed worship were something God was no longer listening to. Judgement and the fulfillment of that sentence was at their doorstep.
Justice was rolling towards them. Righteousness, like a swiftly flowing stream or like the fearsome Atlantic tidal water flow had arrived. It could no longer tolerate the duplicity of their artificial, supposed worship, when their lifestyles were not in accordance with following God's laws from the heart.
They were self-pleasing rather than God-pleasing. They'd had plenty of warnings, but justice now demanded its due. Righteousness would make a clean sweep. They would be sent into exile (see Amos 5:27 ESV).
There is a reckoning day coming for all the people of earth too. That is why we plead, and warn,
"Today,"
yes, this very day,
"is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).
NOW, it is the most favorable time.
None of us know how long we have left on this earth. And in a war zone most can count their remaining time by minutes or even seconds. We need to prepare to meet our God (see Amos 4:12) before it is forever too late. Our only hope is in Jesus.
We need to repent, sincerely, from the heart, of all our sins. We need to confess them to God. We need to accept the gift of salvation Jesus Christ achieved for us on the cross and through His death and resurrection. It is by His grace we can be saved, through faith in Jesus Christ and all He has done for us (see Ephesians 2:8-9).
This gift from God and Jesus our Redeemer is a wonderful, ever-flowing stream in the here and now. His justice He won for us through the injustice of a perfectly, righteous Jesus who knew NO sin, but was made sin for us. He took the punishment we deserved. He took my place. He took your place.
In this way, His righteousness also flowed with His ever-powerful force through this act of love on His part. He did this so He could make us righteous should we choose to accept this gift of salvation.
Will we continue to ignore this and go on our way headlong to the judgement day that's surely coming? Or will we jump into this ever-flowing stream of God's justice and righteousness and forgiveness?
Choose life, today!
Those of us who have already chosen, can now give Him our continuous, heartfelt thanks and praise as we remember Him and His work for us. Reach now, this Lord's Day, for the broken bread and drink of that wine - the cup of remembrance. Together, as an assembled-in-person congregation, we can joy in our God and our Savior in true praise and make our offerings in good conscience before Him.
All praise and glory be to the One who died for us. He lives now. May justice roll and righteousness flow in a steady stream in our hearts and lives, reaching out to others.
Amen.
~ ERC June 2025 ~
Based on Amos 5:24 ESV.
Sing, What Gift of Grace is Jesus My Redeemer, along with Song Choice.
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