S) "12 Though I wrote for him ten thousand precepts of My law,
They are regarded as a strange thing."
Hosea 8:12 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Hosea 8
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Hosea 8
O) There is obvious hyperbole in this, but the message is clear. From the start, it was God who initiated relationship with mankind, and told them how to properly relate back to Him. God told Adam and Eve what it would take to stay in the garden. It was God who talked to Noah, instructing him after the flood about eating food without the blood in it, and that murder would be a capital punishment. It was God who spoke to Abraham and made a covenant with Him, giving him instructions about circumcision. It was God who brought Israel out of Egypt, giving the ten commandments to Moses, even writing them on stone by His own finger. Even still, the Israelites had turned, treating the commandments of God as meaningless. Whether they claimed ignorance to the laws, or claimed imagination as their source, or claimed irrelevance to their lives, they didn't think His words should be feared as coming from Him.
A) The last few weeks (and the next few weeks), our church is going through a sermon series on biblical sexuality. The topic of homosexuality has become a hot-button issue, as the culture shifts closer and closer to accepting it fully, and some who claim to be Christians are acquiescing to this cultural shift. Yesterday was about having compassion for people, without compromising the authority of holy Scripture. In his sermon, our pastor said something profound.
"I want to be a follower of Jesus that never compromises God's ways, just so that someone might approve of me. This would be truly homophobic. Listen to me for a minute. We get accused of being homophobic all the time, we Christians. And the world thinks that we are actually afraid of homosexuality, the sin, or afraid of homosexual people. When, just the opposite is true. To hold strongly to the standards and commands of God's way of life, is more of an expression of our fear of God, not our fear of homosexuality." - Steve Walker
At the root of Israel's issue, was their denial of the reality of God's words. They discounted His words and did not fear God. At my core, I need to fearfully regard the words of God as authoritative and infallible.
P) Father, thank You for the grace at work in me, Lord. From the beginning, I have needed You. I was lost in my sins, unable to cope with the chaos in my world. I was broken and hopeless. But, Your grace was there for me, all the time. Then, my sins deceived me, and I regarded Your word as a strange thing. I used Your blessings as a means to sin more. I did not understand what it meant to fear You, the almighty God. But, Your grace persevered in me, and Your faithfulness was manifested to me. Your grace has been at work in me throughout my life. Let me fear You, and respect Your words, seeing Your authority over me as perfectly just, and fully good. Please keep my heart soft, and may I always be found humble in Your presence. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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