It's Not Him, It's You

"I loved Israel when He was a child: out of Egypt I called my son. But the more I have called, the further from me they have gone." - Hosea 11:1-2

When I was 19 I refused to talk to God. Things with my boyfriend of almost 4 years weren't working out and in my mind it was all God's fault. On the night I realized things weren't going to work out between my boyfriend and I, I locked myself up in the bathroom and with warm tears rushing down my face, I screamed at God: "Why are You doing this to me? You KNEW how much I wanted this and now, because You just don't feel like it, You're taking this away from me after I asked You sooo many times???!!!!"

After this, I didn't lose my faith but I was angry. As someone angry with a friend, I would be "cordial" to God. I would go to church but I wouldn't pray. In my anger and hurt, I would say, "what do I need to pray for? God does whatever He wants anyway!" This is where a lot of people, unfortunately, get stuck. They never see beyond that apparent betrayal from God. I was lucky that I kept my heart open, and with time I came to realize the new peace I had in my life and the new opportunities God had given me after that break-up. I saw the reasons why He did it and I'm glad I never let the hurt from my past relationship keep me from seeing God's good intentions for me. So many people feel God has abandoned them or maybe even, that God might not exist. Just like people in the time of the prophet Hosea turned from God, so do we turn away from God, putting our own walls up that block Him from getting in.

This summer I was called in for what really would have been my dream job. I was contacted by a VP of a record label to be a product manager and I was ecstatic. We went as far as discussing base salary and how they would even pay for my new blackberry. Then, for reasons I wasn't sure of, they decided not to hire me. I really can't tell you how hurt I was, especially because I really hated my job at the moment. I was so close to my dreams and they were snatched right out in front of me. I did cry, but unlike when I was 19, through my tears I decided to praise God because I KNEW He had something better for me. I know other people would probably get angry and ask why would God let me go so far to only lose in the end, but I don't want to be like those other people that doubt His love and His plans for me. And the Lord is so good that because of my trust and faith in Him, He's shown me the reasons behind the things He does…two weeks ago, everyone in the marketing department I would have gone into was laid off, including the VP that interviewed me.

Your relationship with God all depends on your own attitude. The case in most relationships when people say to another, "it's not you, it's me," but they're really lying, does not apply to God. In every case, it really is us! It's us if we aren't open enough to give God time to work and show us the good He's doing behind all these apparently horrible things. God is always looking for us. God always loves us and God is always there. Any absence of God is only falsely perceived.

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, forgive me for being so blind to the good You want to do for me. Forgive me for wanting to hold on to things and getting upset when You try to change things. Teach me to let You have the control. Teach me to trust in You so that I can see the powers of Your hand. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Love Hurts

"O, Ephraim, what shall I do with you? O, Judah, how shall I deal with you? This love of yours is like morning mist, like morning dew that quickly disappears. This is why I smote you through the prophets, and have slain you by the words of my mouth. For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice; it is knowledge of God, not burnt offerings." - Hosea 6:4-6

I have a couple of friends that are going through trouble in their relationships. Why is it that when we really love someone, sometimes they just don't correspond to our feelings? There is this one person who fell in love with someone who really seemed to care, but whenever he really needed her, she was gone and not there for him. To retaliate because he was hurt, he would say mean things to her, but only because he wanted her to feel the pain he was feeling. Sometimes she'd come back around when she was lonely, or needed something. He knew this, but he loved her so much, he'd take her back, although he knew her love wasn't sincere.

I've mentioned before that God not only loves us as a Father, but also in the way in which a husband loves his wife. This story I just mentioned is God's love for us as told through the prophet Hosea. God saw His people as His spouse and became so angry when He'd see His people not pay attention to Him and putting things such as wine, money, and sex before Him. He considered them all cheaters. Although He called them all adulterers, He was so hurt that He'd curse them but He wanted them all back. That's why in this passage, the Lord sighs in pain as we do when our relationship isn't going right. "O, Ephraim, what shall I do with you?" Think of the despair you go through when that person you love doesn't call you or answer your calls. They say they love you, but they don't show it. As God says, their love is "like morning dew that quickly disappears." And deep down, even when the one you love does answer you, you want them to be sincere and really love you back, not just because they need something as we do with God.

I picked this passage because sometimes we don't realize how strong God's love for us is and how easily we brush Him aside to focus on other things. The bible is full of verses comparing His love to the love of boyfriend/ girlfriend, husband/ wife. He knows fully well the anguish and despair we feel when we're hurt by love, and by using this comparison through the prophet Hosea, He shows us that His pain is that real.

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, I'm sorry for not loving You or giving You the time You deserve. I could never repay You for Your love but I seek to please You from now on. In Your Name we pray, amen.

It Was I Who Cared For You

"I loved Israel when he was a child; out of Egypt I called my son. But the more I have called, the further from me have they gone - sacrificing to the Baals, burning incense to the idols. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; yet little did they realize that it was I who cared for them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with leading strings of love, and I became for them as one who eases the yoke upon their neck and stoops down to feed them." - Hosea 11: 1-5

I want you to think about God's love for you today. This isn't one of those verses about how God loves us so much, and He does, but this one reflects His sorrow in not having us respond to that love.

We're all too concerned with having people love us and care for us, or even making sure our family and friends know we love them, but how have you responded to God's love? Have you taken the time out today to show Him you love Him too and you appreciate the blessings in your life?

Take the verse above and wherever God mentions Israel or Ephraim, replace it with your name. What a tender and nurturing love God has for us! He truly loves us as His children. Look at how He's described taking you by the arms and teaching you how to walk. Before you were even born, He has guided your steps with love and care. We give thanks to others for what they've done for us, but it was God that put those people in our paths to help us, yet we stray from Him and give more importance to other people and other things in our lives.

I'm sure many of you have experienced this feeling or are going through it now - think back to a time when you cared for someone so much and had them ignore you or place you second or third in their lives no matter how hard you try to get close to them. That's the pain we cause God. It's so easy to forget Him when we're doing well. We forget God is real and He is alive and only run to Him crying and pleading when we need something. How selfish are we? Should the way we treat Him be the way He treat us?

Please take this moment to put everything else aside and spend time with Your God who has created You and is waiting for You to speak to Him now.

Today's Prayer:
God, time after time and problem after problem, You are there beside me unconditionally. I'm sorry for all of those times I was too busy to thank You for Your love and for the blessings You've given me in my life. I'm so sorry for the pain I have caused You when I have ignored You and I promise to strive to grow closer to You each day. In Your Name we pray, Amen.