[Anglican Devotional 5 February 2022] Topic: The Steadfast Love Of The Lord
TOPIC: The Steadfast Love Of The Lord
READ: Hosea 13:1-14 (NKJV)
When Ephraim spoke, trembling, He exalted [himself] in Israel; But when he offended through Baal [worship,] he died.
Now they sin more and more, And have made for themselves molded images, Idols of their silver, according to their skill; All of it [is] the work of craftsmen. They say of them, “Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves!”
Therefore they shall be like the morning cloud And like the early dew that passes away, Like chaff blown off from a threshing floor And like smoke from a chimney.
” Yet I [am] the LORD your God Ever since the land of Egypt, And you shall know no God but Me; For [there is] no Savior besides Me.
I knew you in the wilderness, In the land of great drought.
When they had pasture, they were filled; They were filled and their heart was exalted; Therefore they forgot Me.
“So I will be to them like a lion; Like a leopard by the road I will lurk;
I will meet them like a bear deprived [of her cubs;] I will tear open their rib cage, And there I will devour them like a lion. The wild beast shall tear them.
” O Israel, you are destroyed, But your help [is] from Me.
I will be your King; Where [is any other,] That he may save you in all your cities? And your judges to whom you said, ‘Give me a king and princes’?
I gave you a king in My anger, And took [him] away in My wrath.
” The iniquity of Ephraim [is] bound up; His sin [is] stored up.
The sorrows of a woman in childbirth shall come upon him. He [is] an unwise son, For he should not stay long where children are born.
“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.
THE MESSAGE:
God found Israel like wild grapes in the wilderness (Hosea 9:10). They were precious in God’s sight. They were taught God’s commandment among which was the most important, “Thou shall know no God but me, for there is no saviour beside me” (verse 4). God nurtured them and filled them with pasture, but their heart became exalted and they forgot their God and worshipped Baal. “God is of purer eyes than to behold evil and cannot look on iniquity” (Habakkuk 1:13). For abandoning Him, God said He would besiege Israel with calamities.
However, being a God of loving kindness and tender mercies, after reprimanding them, He stretched a hand of compassion to pull them to Himself, hid their sins and told them, “in me is thy help, I will be thy king.”
He promised to ransom them from the power of the grave and redeem them from death, plagues, etc. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercy never comes to an end, They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness oh Lord, Great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Out of His love, God is ever ready to ransom and redeem us. How are you opening your heart to receive this show of love?
Let’s sing together:
You are rich in mercy; Almighty Father
You are rich in mercy; Hallowed be Your name.
PRAYER: Oh God our Father, help us to appreciate Your love and may we never take Your mercies for granted in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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