Devotion – Wednesday, 28 April
Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for today is taken from the Prophet Hosea, Chapter 11 verse 3, “Yet I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them up in My arms, but they did not know that I healed them,” (Amplified Bible). The Prophet Hosea refers to Israel, or the Ten Tribes of the Northern Kingdom, as Ephraim. Hosea’s messages were delivered in the time before the death of King Jeroboam the Second, who died in 753 BC. Scholars believe Hosea’s messages were proclaimed in Judah, shortly before the Fall of Samaria, in 722 to 721 BC. He continued to preach to the backsliding Israel, who became unfaithful to the Lord, by worshipping the gods of the neighbouring nations, practising the rituals that were used in idol worshipping. God portrayed with vivid imagery to Hosea the extent of God’s love towards the rebelling children of his chosen people. Like a father, who is teaching children to walk, comforting them and securing their safety, God kept his eye and hand on the children of Ephraim. Instead of praising God for their healing and protection, they gave their praise to idols! God will never act in wrath, as a human. He will continue to draw the children of Ephraim back to him with chords of love. Finely they will come back, hurriedly like a bird, returning to their God. The repentant captives will settle in peace in new houses and will wait expectantly for God’s justice.
The warnings of the Prophet Hosea fell, seemingly, on deaf ears. It took captivity to bring the truths of the effects of back-sliding to the attention of Israel. Falling away from God usually happens in times when things are going well, when people are confident of their own resources to weather storms and are living in relative ease. They have more than enough. They have given themselves to enjoy their lives, thinking that it is their own doing that brought about their fortunes and the pleasant lives they are living. As it was in the times of the Prophet Hosea, so it is in our times. The World, at large, took comfort in the knowledge regarding the superior medical sciences, the great resources of medical supplies and the understanding and applying of skills to problem resolve to create wealth, health and improvement. We have been shown that the overconfidence in our own imperfect systems causes trauma in a fragile, sick and broken world. God is the same God who does not change. He still waits for the children of the world to return to him and seek him in these times of calamity.
The Apostle Peter wrote in his Second Letter, Chapter Three, verse 15, “And consider that the long-suffering of our Lord, His slowness in avenging wrongs and judging the world, is salvation, that which is conducive to the soul’s safety,” (Amplified Bible). The way that God deals with the world and her people, is not in a harsh manner, but he waits for the wayward children to see their wrongs, and return to the Father, like the prodigal son. God continues to work in and on the behalf of the rebellious, despite being rejected, in order to bring about peace and set chaos right. There will always be the remnant, a small group of people who are faithful. Through God’s continuous intervention, He turns the things that were designed to harm them, to work to benefit and strengthen their faith. The Apostle Peter encourages the congregations to grow in grace and understanding of the Lord. They need to be on guard against lawlessness and wicked, twisted and misconstrued information that will cause division in the community. We need to heed this warning in this time of various mass and social media. We need not be taken along the billowing waves of dubious news. Let us wait confidently on our Lord.
Father, strengthen our faith; turn our eyes to perceive your coming deliverance. Amen.
