Hosea 11:1-4
“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.
This passage gives a special insight - a pulling back of the curtain on God's heart. What a picture of a tender hearted father toward us, in particular, He's talking about Israel in a unique way.
Let me share, if I may, an interesting incident happened in my life today.
I decided to take Roki to the football fields so he could be free to have a good run. Usually we're too near the roads and other dogs to let him do that.
Eagerly, I let him off his lead, as there was no one in the near vicinity. He at once began bounding, athletically, with great looping circles, around me in sheer delight.
I called him back to me and rewarded him with one of his beloved gravy bones.
Then off he went again, only this time running away from me towards the path that was hidden by a hedge where he disappeared from view.
I kept calling him back, in ever increasing shouts, but he ignored me. So I had to pursue him and thankfully managed to grab him as he sniffed at some tree and put him on his lead.
Of course, I scolded him, but he was oblivious to my voice - too interested in other dogs along this new path.
I put him back in the car with no good grace, muddy paws to boot!
Once back in the kitchen, it being his tea time, I gave him a lecture...
"Roki, you're a naughty boy. What you did was very dangerous. You have to come when I call you. Otherwise something bad can happen. You may get into a fight and they may take you away from me. I give you everything to make your life happy, I only ask one thing - that you obey me when I call you!"
Wow! Then it struck me - this is what the Lord says to my soul.
It's what He says to each one of us.
All He wants is that we come to Him when he calls us.
If we ignore His call and something bad happens, it's not God's fault. We've put ourselves outside of His care.
Later, after telling Roki off, he came to me with sad eyes, as if to say sorry. He laid his head on me and I hugged him. I hope he's learned and won't runaway again.
In the same way, I hope I've learned and won't run from my precious Lord Jesus ever again.
Let's come to our Lord and Saviour Jesus as He calls us to Himself. Let's stay safe in Him for these are evil days. He alone can keep us from harm in the "secret place" of His love and care.
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