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Hear the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3zD4Vz7
1 "When Israel was only a child, I loved him. I called out, 'My son!' - called him out of Egypt. 2 But when others called him, he ran off and left me. He worshiped the popular sex gods, he played at religion with toy gods. 3 Still, I stuck with him. I led Ephraim. I rescued him from human bondage, But he never acknowledged my help, 4 never admitted that I was the one pulling his wagon, That I lifted him, like a baby, to my cheek, that I bent down to feed him. 5 Now he wants to go back to Egypt or go over to Assyria - anything but return to me! 6 That's why his cities are unsafe - the murder rate skyrockets and every plan to improve things falls to pieces. 7 My people are hell-bent on leaving me. They pray to god Baal for help. He doesn't lift a finger to help them. 8 But how can I give up on you, Ephraim? How can I turn you loose, Israel? How can I leave you to be ruined like Admah, devastated like luckless Zeboim? I can't bear to even think such thoughts. My insides churn in protest. 9 And so I'm not going to act on my anger. I'm not going to destroy Ephraim. And why? Because I am God and not a human. I'm The Holy One and I'm here - in your very midst. 10 "The people will end up following God. I will roar like a lion - Oh, how I'll roar! My frightened children will come running from the west. 11 Like frightened birds they'll come from Egypt, from Assyria like scared doves. I'll move them back into their homes." God's Word! Soul-Destroying Lies. (Hosea 11:1-11 The Message Bible)
We return to the preacher living the difficult sermon prop of being a faithful husband to a faithless wife. He is also the faithful father to faithless children. All part of the sermon. Though this passage is about God speaking from His heart about how this mischievous toddler became a wayward child. I have to admit I was an adventurous child but God held me grounded and I never strayed far. Like most boys of my era, I even harbored thoughts about finding a stick to which I could attach a kerchief and fill with my clothes and run off to find my way in the world, but come dinner time when I would hear Mom calling, I knew where home truly was. Not so with wayward Israel; he quickly forgot, as this version has it, Who was pulling the wagon, and forgot the time he was lifted to God's cheek, and the times God bent down to feed him. His thoughts are to go anywhere but home! He was willing to return to the captivity of the slavery of Egypt, or across the boundary into enemy territory into Assyria; and thus his cities are afflicted with skyhigh murder rates, and failed plans to improve life within the nation.
Yet, with all the grounds that God has to prosecute Israel, God's heart is to forgive and expect the day when all of His people would return back to Him. God declares that the day will come when people will end up following God, and on that day God will roar like a lion; all of his frightened children who have scattered throughout the world will come running home. Like frightened birds, those who headed to Egypt and Assyria, will return home where they will be welcomed back into their homes. This is solemn and God states it as fact; all other things are lies.
The day did come when I was already in college, where my father and I just did not see eye to eye on one thing; my hair length. And both of us were stubborn about where we stood. He told me to leave if I could not obey him, and so I left, as my Mom and grandmother cried loudly. I went to my car and sat, weeping wondering where I would end up, when after what seemed like an eternity, Dad came running out of the house and opened the door of my car and told me not to leave. I was home.
We must know that when we return to God we are home, no matter where we have roamed; and because of God's great love, we are always welcomed with God's loving embrace. Come home, friend.
PRAYER: Loving and forgiving God, thank You for Your awesome love that gives us second, third, and millionth chances. Receive us with outstretched arms and hug us; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Show someone the same love God shows you!
Receive my blessings of hope and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
