DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE CHURNING HEART

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE CHURNING HEART

"How can I give you up, Ephraim?  How can I hand you over, Israel?  How can I make you like Admah?  How can I set you like Zeboiim?  My heart churns within Me;  My sympathy is stirred."  (Hosea 11:8)

In the opening verses of this chapter, we find that God loved Israel.  He called them out of Egypt as His son.  He loved them and He drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love (vs. 4).

But they turned from Him and followed Baal worship. They were bent on backsliding.  They went through the forms of worship, but they did not really exalt Him as God Most High (vs. 7). 

The heart of God was churned.  He loved them but in His righteousness knew that sin had to be punished.

As much as parents love their children, they know that disobedience has to be dealt with.  They feel the turmoil, the conflict in their souls. Their hearts are torn between their love and their obligation to discipline.

Because of His great sympathy, He promised that He would not destroy the nation (vs. 9).  However, as we see from the prophetic and the historical record, God did chasten by allowing them to go into captivity.

I can't help but wonder how many times the heart of  God has churned because of my own times of rebellion against Him.  He is patient and has not destroyed me.  But I can imagine that I have caused Him some grief.  I am so thankful that He loves me as a son, even when I fail to live up to His desire and purpose.  Even then, He draws me with cords of love.

Love, Dad