PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Hosea 13-14
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“When they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.” (Hosea 14:6)
Hosea is reminding the people of God’s care for them since leaving Egypt (13:4).
Food, land, protection, so many blessings… and yet they forget their helper.
They’ve become smug and careless in their success, forgetting God altogether.
God blessed them until they were satisfied, then they forgot their blesser.
Pride is a focus on self, on my strength and goodness, in what I have or do.
We take credit for our success… if others were like us, they could succeed to.
Humility is the awareness that I am and have nothing apart from God.
We have what we have and can do what we do because God is helping us.
When we forget about God, we forget about our purpose and calling.
Instead of sacrificing ourselves for others in love, we sacrifice others (13:2).
We forget about God’s grace to us, and then become less gracious to others.
Jesus calls us to humble, gracious love, to bless others with our blessings.
What I have, what I am, what I do… this is from him, and for him, and for others.
Am I following the Lord with my blessings, or forgetting the Lord because of them?
PRAYER
Lord, I need to pray about this more, but I sense it is true… that I am too comfortable in my blessings, forgetting the One that blesses me and what those blessings are for.
Norm: thanks for this insightful sentence (I’ve journaled it): “Am I following the Lord with my blessings, or forgetting the Lord because of them?”
“The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.” So many ugly consequences for rebellion – What does it take for the rebellious to see and understand the error of their ways? How they must stumble! It is a hard lesson – yet we see it all around us – the consequences of getting caught up in the lure of drugs/substance abuse/gluttony/material obsession etc. There are so many ‘life-lessons’ out there. Like arrogant and stubborn people we think we know it all. As a teenager you think your parents are wrong – later you learn they were right all along! Lord, you are right – I know I need to follow your ways. Thank you HS for working in my heart!