"I Stooped and Fed Them"

“I taught Ephraim to walk,
Taking them by their arms;
But they did not know that I healed them.
4 I drew them with gentle cords,
With bands of love,
And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.
I stooped and fed them." (Hosea 11:3-4)

I love this passage.  Its description of how patiently and tenderly God deals with his children is like...for lack of words, a big hug. :)  Just think, our loving Father - the GOD of the universe!!! - stoops to teach us how to walk and to feed us ever so gently.  He knows exactly what we need and when and how to give it to us.  We run our own way and fall; He picks us up and holds our hands in His, saying,  "This is the way, walk in it..." (Is 30:20-22; Jer. 6:16; 2 Jn. 1:6;) We choke and sputter on the lessons He would have us learn; He patiently cleans us up and continues feeding, reminding us, "I AM the Bread of Life."(Jn. 6:35)

God's will is that we swallow what He feeds us. He delights in our growth.

He does because He loves us "with an everlasting love." (Jer 31:3)

What more is there to ask for?

Wholesomeness

   When I have time - which has been hard to come by these days - I enjoy studying out definitions of the individual words in a verse of Scripture.  This helps me so much to take something I've read and memorized many times over and still get more out of it!

Here is a recent analysis that I found very encouraging:

   "Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come" (Proverbs 31:25)

Strength is inherent capacity to manifest energy, to endure, and to resist.

Honour (I love this one) can be described as personal integrity; allegiance to moral principles.

Integrity and Principle both have to do with a commitment being ethical, moral, honest, having good character and conduct, etc.

Endurance, personal depth, a sound mind - the backbone to "stick to your guns" (speaking of allegiance to moral principles, not general stubbornness) are some qualities the Bible names as respectable in a woman - so much so that they are to be just as apparent as her clothing!  

And she shall REJOICE [delight] in time to come...

Whose God IS the Lord?

  There was a once nation that began by the motto "In God We Trust."  There once was a nation founded "under God" for the purpose of allowing men freedom to do right.  Now right has become wrong; wrong has become right; and there is no one accepted basis on which to measure either.  This once great nation is crumbling - from the inside out.  And there is only one way to fix it - from the inside out.

  America needs missionaries - *unofficial* missionaries to the general population - to the working class...and the non-working class. Do you work a Joe Shmoe job?  God wants to use you right where you are.  As a Christian, your purpose, whatever your occupation may be, is to show others the love of Christ. Your mission field is those with whom you rub shoulders every day. If you are willing, you can reach people that others can't!   However menial your tasks, you can be an example to other believers. You can grow to be humble, selfless, and patient towards people who are arrogant, selfish, and greedy.  You can be an obedient follower of Christ.  This is the difference He calls you to make. Here. Now. With all your might.

Meekness At the Core

But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. (1 Tim. 6:11)

In this world are countless do's and don'ts from a multitude of conflicting viewpoints. Whether it be a matter of mere preference or one of right and wrong, every Christian wonders at some point, "Who, what, and how exactly AM I supposed to be?" According to the Bible, there are many things...steadfastness (1 Cor. 15:58), love (1 Cor. 13), patience (James 1:4)...on and on we could go. Somewhere near the top of the list is an attribute called meekness....what is it?

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance describes meekness as being mild, gentle, depressed in mind, humble, lowly, poor, & needy.

hmmmmm

You don't see that in the picture of the big-mouthed, rebellious people that are currently so popular in this generation. Rather, such a characteristic is scorned as "spineless" or "gutless."

Not so.

Moses, referred to as the meekest man on earth, spoke with God face to face and led an entire nation.
(Num. 12:3)

Jesus Christ, out of pure love, DIED for the sins of all people - even those whom He knew would reject Him. (Rom. 5:6-8)

Our Lord says in Matthew 11:29, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

The Creator of the entire universe describes Himself as being meek and lowly and then tells us to LEARN of HIM!

Men:

James 3:13 asks,"Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?" then admonishes: "let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom."

The biblically wise man never hurries to shout out what he knows or to push others around to accomplish things his way - even if it is better or "right". He knows how to give a soft answer (Pr. 15:1). His life exemplifies the fruit of the Spirit (works) produced with a Christlike spirit (the meekness of wisdom).

Women:

"But let it [a woman's adorning] be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." (1 Peter 3:4)

It bears repeating: meekness is a beautiful thing that is worth so much in God's eyes.


A meek & quiet spirit is the calmness of mind and manner that steadies your actions & reactions no matter what your personality, position, circumstances, or responsibilities may be.

God calls each of His children to turn from their prideful sin nature and be meek.

Easy? NO.

Worth it? YES.

"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." (Heb. 10:35-36)

It takes guts and a backbone to die to self. Do you have it in you?

After His Heart

"And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God" (1 Sam. 30:6).

In the face of opposition from his grieving army, with the kidnapping of his wives gnawing on his own heart, David knew where to turn. He didn't tear himself apart about past or present mistakes. His self-worth wasn't dependent upon his followers' opinion of his leadership. Fear of death by stoning failed to paralyze him. Why? David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. He was named a man after God's own heart - not because he was perfect - but because he knew where to turn for direction, for strength, for forgiveness. David was God's man because the LORD was this man's God.

Can you and I be known as men and women after God's own heart?

Only if HE is truly the LORD of our lives ~ the Rock of our defense, the Shepherd we humbly follow, the Father and Savior to Whose arms we run, our Hope, our Joy, our Peace, our Righteousness.

No one and nothing else will do...just give me Jesus. Only then.

A Test of Time and Promises

This morning I walked down my favorite back road and something caught my attention on the ravine across from the neighbor's house. An uprooted forsythia lay over the bank, apparently cast off from some yard cleaning project. As I looked at that bush, with its hacked off roots pathetically sticking out of a dry clod of dirt and its yellow blossoms beginning to wither, I couldn't help but wonder -would it be possible for that hardy little plant to sink its crushed, broken roots into that rocky slope? Would it be able to become a bit of sunshine on the side of that hill? Only time will tell.

Whatever happens to the forsythia, the question I have to ask myself is this: Am I willing to sink my roots - however sensitive or hurt - into the soil wherever God places me (short term or long) and be a little sunshine there?

By His grace, I can say yes.

"For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." (2 Cor. 1:20-22 NKJV)

Who My God Is and How This Affects Me

My God knows exactly what He is doing, has done, and will do.

My God does not limit His work to my understanding. My God (though not the author of sin) has power over evil itself ~ the devil must ask Him permission to do anything! (Job 1; Is. 45:7) My God is at the same time fully good and unable to sin. Sin cannot so much as stand in His presence (Ps. 130:3). My God ~ knowing that I can do nothing good on my own ~ commands me to be holy as He is holy (Lev. 20:7). This command has to do with every part of my life ~ how I treat others (believers & unbelievers); how I spend my time; how I use my abilities; how I talk, dress, and act. Obedience? Only by the complete control of the Holy Spirit.

"Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved" (Eph. 1:5,6).

He calls me to obey this command [be ye holy] not as a means to grace and the gift of eternal life (attained only through Jesus' blood) but as a result of His gracious gift. He made me for the purpose of being a living testimony of His love to all I meet.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:8-10).

My God gives me all that I need to obey Him.

"his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness..." (2 Pet. 1:3)

My God is always the same and has the same plan from beginning to end.

He is worthy of my complete trust ~ the acknowledgement of my utter dependence on Him.

My God is the only One worth living for.