Hosea 7 -- Wrong-headedness

The citizens of Israel seem to have lost their senses.  “It never enters their minds that I remember their evil deeds … They make agreements with those who do not know the true God … Israel’s pride will cause their defeat; they will not turn back to the Lord their God or look to Him for help in all this.”

Although they’d cried out to God, their motives were wrong.  “They wanted God to act on their terms and not according to the conditions of His holy covenant.  They thought they could get away with their many sins, but God saw them all and remembered them,” my commentary said. 

God compared them to a half-baked pancake, which is really good for nothing.  “When it comes to our relationship with the Lord, we must be thorough and not half-baked.  His gracious work must permeate our whole being so that heart, mind, and strength are all devoted to Him.”

Israel couldn’t see this, and my commentary said, “The tragedy of undetected losses quietly lead to ultimate failures.”  It called us to see whether we are like that – half-baked in our devotion to God, not allowing Him to permeate every corner of our lives.

Father, looking at my own life, I want so very much to remain devoted fully to You.  I never would have dreamed that the forces trying to undo that devotion might come from within the church of all places!  Guide me.  Keep me devoted to You in spite of those forces.  And if I am wrong-headed in my thinking about anything, show me clearly where I need to change my thinking.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford