Amos 4:6   I gave you empty stomachs in every city and lack of bread in every town, yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD.

   

    

Now this seems an odd verse, a verse, like many, that seems at first sight to have little to say to us. Indeed critics might say how depressing such a verse is, but that simply shows a lack of desire to be taught. Remember, all Scripture is useful for teaching (2 Tim 3:16)!

 

Now the first thing to note is that God DOES bring bad on human lives. A God of love? Yes! See what the purpose was behind what He had been doing! He had been working to bring the people into a place of need, out of which He sought to get them to return to Him.

 

This was at the hub of this situation. The people had drifted away from God. Now we, in our foolishness, may think that is no big thing, but when we realise that human beings function best in harmony with God (remember yesterday!), if we love, as God always does, then we will want each and every person to come into relationship with the Lord and to remain in that relationship. As James concluded his letter: “if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” (Jas 5:19,20). Which is worse – to suffer hunger at the hand of God or to drift into total self-destruction? Those are the issues that are here before us in our verse today!