Remembering the Lord

I read the complete book of Hosea in my prayer time this morning. It's sort of hard to stop reading it once you begin. When I study I use all versions of the Bible, but during morning prayer and reading, I prefer the New Living Translation as it is just an easier read.

But back to Hosea, it is mostly God talking through the entire book, which makes it all the more interesting, as you get to really see God's heart throughout the book. Listen to some of the things God says, remember these verses are from the NLT version:

• "There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land….that is why your land is not producing. It is filled with sadness, and all living things are becoming sick and dying." (4:1-3)
  
• "…people don't realize that I am watching them. Their sinful deeds are all around them; I see them all!" (7:2)
  
• "…I wanted to redeem them, but they have only spoken lies about me. They do not cry out to me with sincere hearts. Instead, they sit on their couches and wail…." (7:13-14)
  
• "They look everywhere, except to heaven, to the Most High." (7:16)
  
• "But it is too late! The people…have rejected what is good, and now their enemies will chase after them." (8:3)
  
• "…but the more wealth the people got, the more they poured it on the altars of their foreign gods. The richer the harvests they brought in, the more beautiful the statues and idols they built." (10:1)
  
• "I said, 'Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of my love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord that He may come and shower righteousness upon you.' But you have cultivated wickedness and raised a thriving crop of sins. You have eaten the fruit of lies – trusting in your military might, believing that great armies could make your nation safe! Now the terrors of war will rise among your people. All your fortifications will fall…" (10:12-14)
  

Most of you who are believers already know who God is talking about in these verses. But if you didn't know, wouldn't it sound like America? In the literal sense, He is speaking about Israel, but in a spiritual sense, He could be talking about any of us, or any other nation, at least before we came to know Him as our Savior…it makes you think, doesn't it? I think He intended for it to make us pause and think about where we are in terms of remembering God in our daily lives, and remaining dependent upon Him, rather than upon our own resources each day....always busy scrambling for more of our own resources, leaving little time for God.

Fortunately, for us all, the Lord was (and is) merciful to Israel and to the nations of the Gentiles as well, through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. God says these things in Hosea as well:

• "So now come back to your God! Act on the principles of love and justice, and always live in confident dependence on your God." (11:6)
  
• "I am the Lord your God….You have no God but me, for there is no other savior." (13:4)
  
• "I will personally free them from their enemies without any help from weapons or armies" (1:7)
  
• "In that coming day" says the Lord, "you will call me 'my husband' instead of 'my master'." (2:16)
  
• "I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as Lord." (2:19-20)
  
• "At that time I will plant a crop of Israelites and raise them for myself! I will show love to those I called 'Not loved.' And to those I called 'Not my people.' I will say, 'Now you are my people.' Then they will reply, 'You are our God.' (2:23)
  
• "I am the One who looks after you and cares for you. I am like a tree that is always green, giving my fruit to you all through the year. Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those who are discerning listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them…" (14:8-9)
  

The "crop of Israelites" that God raised up for Himself were believers of all nations who did not resist the new birth, but were in fact "born-again" by the Spirit of God. But care must be given, even among those born-again, not to follow in the footsteps of the Israelites and forget God – forget that He is the One who takes care of us and upon Whom we depend…for everything!

I believe that is why God made sure His Word was preserved down through the ages, as a reminder to us all of where we have been and where we could return if we are not mindful of Him.

"This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior; knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts…..ye, therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest you also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen" (2 Peter 3 KJV)