In Amos 7:1-3 the Sovereign Lord showed his prophet a vision of a vast swarm of locusts that the Lord was preparing to send over the land. "Then I said, 'O Sovereign Lord, please forgive us or we will not survive, for Israel is so small'. So the Lord relented from this plan." In verses 4-6 the vision was of God preparing to punish his people with a great fire and Amos' reaction was the same. "Then the Lord relented from this plan too." The third vision (7-9) was of a plumb line. "I will test my people with this plumb line. I will no longer ignore all their sins … I will bring the dynasty of King Jeroboam to a sudden end." On hearing this, Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, relayed his words to the king and sent orders to Amos: "'Get out of here you prophet! Go back to the land of Judah, and earn your living by prophesying there!' But Amos replied, 'I'm not a professional prophet, and I was never trained to be one. I'm just a shepherd, and I take care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord called me away from my flock and told me, 'Go and prophesy to my people in Israel'".

When I read this chapter, I felt the Holy Spirit saying to me and to each of his children: "The Father wants the same kind of relationship with us that he had with Amos. He wants to show us what he is planning to do, especially when he is reluctant to do it. He wants us to be like Amos and Moses who interceded for sinners. He wants to extend the era of grace, and, by his kindness, to lead many more to repentance. He wants to share his heart with us." Amos was both powerful and confident in the Lord's presence. He moved the heart of God by his sincere entreaty.

I also felt he wanted to encourage those of us who feel ourselves at a disadvantage, unworthy, and too lacking in biblical knowledge, to speak out for him; who, through not having completed a recognized and adequate theological training, see ourselves as unqualified, even inferior to others regarding our intellect. Amos was powerful when confronting those misusing their authority. He wasn't intimidated. "I'm just a shepherd. But the Lord called me away from my flock and told me 'Go and prophesy to my people in Israel'". He was ridiculed, but God's calling and equipping made him one not to be trifled with; one who knew his true identity!