August 15, 2024 | Be God's Light
God's love for Israel
Scripture: Hosea 11:1-11(NIV)
1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
2 But the more they were called,
the more they went away from me.
They sacrificed to the Baals
and they burned incense to images.
3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize
it was I who healed them.
4 I led them with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love.
To them I was like one who lifts
a little child to the cheek,
and I bent down to feed them.
5 “Will they not return to Egypt
and will not Assyria rule over them
because they refuse to repent?
6 A sword will flash in their cities;
it will devour their false prophets
and put an end to their plans.
7 My people are determined to turn from me.
Even though they call me God Most High,
I will by no means exalt them.
8 “How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah?
How can I make you like Zeboyim?
My heart is changed within me;
all my compassion is aroused.
9 I will not carry out my fierce anger,
nor will I devastate Ephraim again.
For I am God, and not a man—
the Holy One among you.
I will not come against their cities.
10 They will follow the Lord;
he will roar like a lion.
When he roars,
his children will come trembling from the west.
11 They will come from Egypt,
trembling like sparrows,
from Assyria, fluttering like doves.
I will settle them in their homes,”
declares the Lord.
Devotional
Ask any parent how they feel when their child goes astray, and you will hear sadness in their voice. But any loving parent will never stop loving their wayward child. In today’s reading, we see God as a loving parent who refuses to give up on His lost sons and daughters. Praise the Lord for who He is!
In Luke 11:11-13, Jesus said, “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
That’s who the Lord is. Ever pursuing. Ever loving. Ever blessing.
It’s not like Israel got off scot-free. They would pay for snubbing God and sniffing around idolatry. For that, they would be conquered by the Assyrian kingdom, never to rise to power again. The northern kingdom as a nation would vanish forever.
But Israel as a people would never be abandoned by God. A remnant from Israel in the north and Judah in the south would return to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. God wasn’t done with His people, even though many times they had been done with Him.
That is who the Lord is. Never abandoning. Never leaving. Never forsaking.
Romans 8:35-39 says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Have you surrendered your life to Jesus? If so, what does it mean to you that you are in the grip of God’s grace?
Poem
Little One
Little one as I hold you, skin to skin to my breast
Little one as you hear my heart beating in chest
Little one, how I love you; you are precious, you’re mine
Little one, I’ll protect you, to your cries, I’ll incline
Little one as you walk and you stumble about
Little one with rebellion you tumble about
Little one, I will pick you up, heal all your sores
Little one, even in your rebellion, my love I will pour
Little one when you wander away from the fold
Little one, I will rescue, in my arms I’ll hold
Little one, ‘til your kicking and fighting do cease
Little one I will teach you the hymn of my peace
Little one when you’re faithful, I’ll smile with great pride
Little one as you run, I will cheer at your side
Little one, when exhausted, I’ll provide you with rest
Little one, ‘til you come and return to my breast
