His Yoke is Easy

Saturday, May 28th, 2011

Today's Passage: Amos chapters 3 & 4
Memory Verse: Deuteronomy 30:19

The more I read about the history of Israel, the more I see a parallel between the children of Israel and Liberia, my native land. I became aware of the tyranny from the government when I was about twelve years old or so. A military government had overthrown the democracy of the 1970's, and the dictatorship was evident to all. Journalists who dared speak out against the oppression would disappear and never be seen again.

Once, the public school students decided to stage a demonstration to let the government know they, too, wanted change. Almost immediately upon their taking to the streets, the soldiers arrived and began to chase them down, flogging whoever wasn't fast enough to run. I'll never forget the image of a young girl about my age trying in vain to flee from one soldier, who overtook her as she attempted to take refuge in our yard.

Horrified, I watched as he caught up with her and began to beat her with no mercy. Later on, we heard similar horror stories, some about young people who had been killed that day. The iron fist of Samuel Doe had reared its ugly head again. Things got progressively worse until the civil war in 1989 in which millions lost their lives. The underlying message was that God was speaking to us about the condition of our hearts, but our people reverted back to the non- repentant ways as soon as the war began to subside.

Like Israel, our people complained about what God allowed to happen to them and their children. And yet, when the worst was over, their sinful ways revealed they had no intention of heeding God's warnings. In spite of it all, He continues to reach out to all His children, showing mercy by sending prophets to warn us of the devastation to come. Wherever there is devastation, we must not only see God's wrath but understand His heart. He loves His people, but needs them to live under His covering, which requires obedience rather than lip service. God IS a jealous God, but His yoke is easy and His burden light. We can choose rebellion and death, or obedience and peace. The choice is ours, and so are the consequences.