Listen up, little ones
Listen for the words Lord and return.
Reading
Amos 4:6-11—You did not return to me
Keys for kids
- God brought many judgments against Israel.
- He withheld food, rain, harvest, health, and even life.
- Yet they would not return to God.
Questions
- What did God bring as judgments against Israel?
- Why do you think Israel would not return to God?
- In what ways are you tempted to stray from God?
Notes
(See last day for authors.)
Five times in these verses Amos brings God’s declaration to Israel—You did not return to me. God points out through the prophet that his disciplines acted against Israel were to be restorative—to bring them back. God withheld food. He withheld rain. He withheld harvest. He withheld health, even life. Yet they would not return.
Often hardships and difficulties will cause professing Christians to either move closer to God in dependence and prayer or move further from God in anger and rejection. Even if we don’t know the cause, even if we don’t believe this is a direct discipline from God, difficulties should always drive us to God. For those who love God, those who are called according to his purpose, no difficulties can separate us from God’s love in Jesus (Romans 8:28-39). How do you react to difficulties?
Jesus invites all who are weary, who are burdened, to come to him. He longed to see Jerusalem let him gather their children as a hen would gather her chicks, but they were not willing (Matthew 37-39). Since Israel was not willing to return in Amos’s day and since Israel was not willing in Jesus’ day, judgment would come!
Come to Jesus. Come and find rest. Give up the burdens you carry and find rest in him.
Swedish Method questions
Praise
Psalm 84a, 134b
Prayer
- Ask God to keep you coming to him in Christ.
- Pray for the hearing of God’s word preached this Sunday.
- Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.