Amos 3, 4: I had a conversation with a mom I dearly love last night about her wayward child. With tears in both of our eyes she talked of turning her child over to the Lord to do whatever He needed to do to bring this wayward one back to the Father. I told her I too had been praying that God would break the son’s strongholds. We both agreed that God will not allow a child of His to walk in the darkness when he is a Child of Light.

That is exactly what Amos was speaking of in chapter 4. Over and over God speaks of what He did to try to discipline His children and it follows with this refrain,

“yet you did not return to me”

It took total conquer of Israel and destruction of Jerusalem for the Children to acknowledge their need for God and to turn from their own ways of doing things to His way once again. Why, why do we push God until the harshest punishment is what it takes to help us return. Divorce, poor health, car crashes, financial ruin, all can be used by God to help us acknowledge how far we have run from Him.

Oh that we would be sensitive of heart and when we realize we have strayed that we would return. Marriages, homes, lives, business could all be saved if only we would return. Even now the Father beckons us to turn from sin. That is why He sent the Savior that He would pay for our sin and help us again to be right with God. May we all cherish this Christmas gift given so long ago but is still just as poignant today.