Glorious Tuesday: Ironic Like Amos
“But as my people watched, I destroyed the Amorites, though they were as tall as cedars and as strong as oaks. I destroyed the fruit on their branches and dug out their roots.” – Amos 2:9
In this book we can clearly see that God, in all of His ways, is never halfway, never unfinished. Even in justice, God is aware of completing the job. You see, He knows that even if a tree yields no fruit, it is still alive. And even if the tree is cut down, it may still survive to grow again.
“Even a tree has more hope! If it is cut down, it will sprout again and grow new branches. Though its roots have grown old in the earth and its stump decays, at the scent of water it will bud and sprout again like a new seedling.- Job 14:7-9
And so the scripture is vivid enough to assure us that He dug out their roots. He ensured that destruction was not unfinished. God’s need for justice is a part of His character. It will never change.
And so, it begs the question, what on earth would He want with a dirty, broken, imperfect human like me… like you? How could He possibly be the God of Sovereign Justice, the Impartial Judge, and accept me as His own?
There existed a great debt and God’s need for nothing left unfinished demanded payment be made. In full. We were separated from Him forever by that great wall of sin. There was no way to ever make it right. Ever.
But God reached down… no, God came down… never one to leave anything unfinished. He knew that if you want something done right, sometimes you really do have to do it yourself. We could never get it right, not in generations of trying. We could never make it good, not with countless sacrifices. We could never approach the throne, not in our bleachiest best.
In His great love for us, His unparalleled desire to be with us for eternity, His relentless pursuit of our love and salvation, God joined us. He laid Himself out on the cross, arms outstretched to catch our embrace.
A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit. – John 19:29-30
Only our God could manage to turn a debt that could never be paid into the gift of every century.
Let’s Go Deeper:
1. What kind of habits do you need to leave at the cross?
2. How long will you wait?
3. Write here a verse that helps you to understand the great love that inspired this sacrifice.
3. What is one thing you can do, today, to point someone in the direction of the Gospel?
If you have been helped by this post and think it could be helpful to someone you know, please share this post on the social network of your choice for me.
All you have to do is click one of the buttons below.
May God Bless You,
Shelly