Forest fires rage destroying homes, personal property, as well as the natural landscape. This destruction leads to restoration. New trees sprout up, the fires that once raged now provide more fertile soil for new plants to flourish-a clear example of destruction and restoration working in the natural world.

The global economy is also subject to this natural law. We see time and time again economic ups and downs taking place throughout the years. Times of rising inflation lead to recession, recession leads to recovery and a period of growth then follows. Destruction and restoration go hand in hand in just about everything we touch.

Throughout the books of prophecy in the Bible we see this theme over and over-destruction and restoration. It’s part of the fallen world in which we live but we have to remember that this was not the way we were meant to live. Before the fall of man life was easier. There was no destruction, only peace and harmony amongst all of God’s creation. We also have to remember that God’s desire was always to make a way to repair what is broken. Yes, natural disasters will still happen, the economy will grow, fall and then grow again, however our spiritual lives have been restored through Jesus. Through Jesus we have the ability to overcome the cycle of destruction in our spiritual lives-a benefit that was not available to Israel during the time of our reading of Amos 5-9.

So let us be reminded today that no longer do we have to live as the Israelites lived, but instead we can rest in the presence of Jesus, knowing that our God made a way for us to reconnect to him and that can never be broken!