A Father's Propelling Love

In Amos chapter 4, we read over and over, “‘Yet you have not returned to me,’ declares the LORD”.

Amos delivers startling judgment from the LORD - reminding Israel, His children, of how they had gone from city to city sinning more and more - of their oppression of the poor and needy - of their meaningless sacrifices and tithes - and their boastings about it all… and then - of all He had brought down upon them because of these things, and “YET” how they had not returned to Him.  

The love of the LORD, as a Father, propels Him to go to great lengths to have His children return to a right relationship with Him.

In Exodus 19-20, God went to great lengths in order to proclaim the commandments to Moses before the people at Mount Sinai - which included in part “Do not have any other gods before Me ... Do not make for yourself an idol ...for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God ...” And lest we think for a minute that this same love does not apply to us let us refresh our minds with John 3:14-17.

God made a way where there was no way for us to approach Him - not because He had to but because He desired to save us and - not just to save us but to dwell with us forever and to love us as His own - John 14:15-21.

While chapter four leaves us wondering what God is going to do - the one thing we know for sure is His Glory will be seen ... Because we know that God’s glory is always seen in His dealings with His children - whether it is in the triumph He gives them over their enemies or in the display of His mercy and grace toward them.

I know this deep pursuing love of God in a very personal way. He has pursued me more than once when I veered to the right or left. His pursuit of me from the ‘pit’ when, like Israel, I liked to ‘boast’ of worshiping rather than truly and faithfully worshiping God alone, is what led me back to Him and how He taught me of His grace. The Father’s pursuit of me is what saved me from myself then - and it is what prepared me for everything in between then and now. Grace revealed His mercy and love - and these continually pointed me back to His grace - and together they developed a relationship of reciprocal love and devotion that strengthened me to weather storms of life that would have otherwise destroyed me. This life-giving, father-daughter relationship continues to fill me daily with strength and peace, courage and comfort, and wisdom that teaches me to totally rely on Him. He picks me up when I fall and turns me around when I get off track. He is my life and the lover of my soul - and I am forever and profoundly thankful for His faithfulness as a Father to pursue and love me.