Accept God's Discipline....Come Back To Him Completely

Hosea 11:3-5 -  It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them.  I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.  "Will they not return to Egypt and will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent?

 

God gave Hosea these loving words of discipline for the people of Israel.  He loved them like a father loves his children.  He raised them with love and mercy and gave them all they needed….but they had rebelled against his ways.  God was going to punish them by allowing them to be taken into captivity in Assyria.

 

Israel was the ultimate strong willed child….so God had to use some tough love to wake them up and help them see how far they had gotten form the promise they had made to him. God could not stand to see them throw his love completely away…so he allowed a situation in their lives that would redirect their hearts back to him.

 

It is a reminder to me that God disciplines us when we stray too far away from his will and purpose for our lives.  He will not allow us to rebel against him without trying a little tough love to redirect our paths back to him...because the ultimate punishment is death.  Just take a look back at Deuteronomy 21:18-21 to see the original laws given to Israel for a wayward son.  They were to be stoned…till they died….so the evil could be purged from within them.

 

God loved us so much that he gave his only son to take that death sentence for us.  After years of trying to love the humans he created with tough love...he decided to pull out all the stops…and send his only son in human form to take our place on the cross. He became the last sacrifice the world would ever need to atone for sin.

 

God still disciplines us when we stray too far away from his purpose.  Jesus’ death and resurrection paid the price for our sin…but it did not force us to accept the gift he gave. When we forget the promise we made to him…God spares no tough love practices to help us see how much he loves and wants us to return to him.

 

Father...thank you for the reminder that God loves me so much more than I can comprehend with my human heart and soul and mind.  Forgive me for the times that I have strayed so far away from your purpose for my life…and ignored the discipline you have allowed to try and help me see y need for you in my life.  Help me to stay close to you from this morning forward…so you can bless me and love me like you originally designed man for.  Help me see the ways you have provided for me to follow your will completely…and love you back as much as you love me.  Amen.