Snatched Like a Burning Stick

Scripture:
I overthrew some of you
as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
and you were like a burning stick
snatched from a fire,
yet you did not return to me—
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Amos 4:11

Observation: Amos pronounces the word of the Lord, outlining what the Lord has done already to Israel to wake them up and return them to obedience. Beginning with the last line of chapter 3, Amos ends statements with this line - "This is the Lord's declaration."

It is not just the words that are this "declaration" of the Lord, but it is also the acts he performs to make himself known. Some of the acts are future tense, and include the destruction of the idols they worship, and their future exile. Others are past tense and include past droughts, plagues of locus, military losses, diseases, blights of destructive nature, and disease and death. Like a sad father, five times the Lord says, "yet you did not return to me."

This is certainly the point. The Lord is not threatening Israel, and the Lord is not boasting about his power and authority that he has demonstrated. The Lord is lamenting that, despite the fact he has shown correction to Israel - correction exactly as he told them he would through Joshua and therefore they should have clearly understood - and even though in the midst of such corrective punishments he pulled them out and helped them still survive ... they did not return to the Lord.

Application: This is the cycle of it with the Lord ... the Lord shows us what is good and right, we don't do it, he allows the consequences of our actions BUT then saves us and pulls us out and again shows us what is right, and we repeat the cycle. This applies to people-groups, and it applies to individuals, and it applies to me.

I cannot believe how greatly the Lord has helped me, answered my prayers, shown great patience and mercy, while I sit here becoming almost sad for the inability to do what is wrong.

I may not always believe the Lord punishes our nation in the same manner he interacted with Israel, but I know this model described throughout these declarations is true ... bad things of the world happen, and while the Lord allows them he also gives hope and help to those who believe in Jesus, and then we turn around and mourn the bad things, returning to our flawed thoughts and actions. I want to break that cycle in my life. I want to see that the Lord has snatched me from the fire, and as a damaged stick I want to be grafted into the vine.

Prayer: Lord, all praise and glory and honor to you, for you are able and willing to hear the prayers of even flawed and broken people like me and give us hope, strength, and salvation. You take action to help us, and strength for our bodies and souls. Again I say, praise to you, Lord! Thank you for removing me from the fire. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.