Fair Trade: A Worship Service

Living in the presence of a prophet is not necessarily comforting. Reminders and warnings come, not as judgments with which one can argue, but as corrections to the course. The voice of the prophet reminds all who hear that when justice is not done, change is necessary.

Words of the Prophet Amos have been selected as the biblical roots for this Sunday designated to focus on trade issues. “Seek me and live,” God says through the Prophet. “The one who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the Lord is his name.”

“Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you…hate evil and love good, establish justice in the gate,” Amos said. And, calling the people back from a shallow and hollow perversion of a godly life, he said, “let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

With reference to the many issues related to trade, we can find in Amos’ words ample reason to pray for those who suffer for trade-related reasons and those who cause the suffering. Everyone of us needs constant reminding that the place where justice rolls down like waters, and where righteousness is an ever-flowing stream is where all of God’s people dwell securely.