Feed On the LORD God, Not The Wind!

Reading:  Hosea 11 - 14
My Verse:  "Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
                          whoever is discerning, let him know them;
                          for the ways of the LORD are right,
                          and the upright walk in them,
                          but transgressors stumble in them" (Hosea 14:9).

This book of Hosea speaks to the corporate body, in this particular case the Israelites, and in our case to us the church.  And yet, this very last verse of Hosea speaks to me, the individual; reminding me that I am responsible for how I respond to You, LORD God.  I need to feed on You, not the wind for You only can satisfy.

The ESV study guide points out how the language in this verse changes and becomes personal.  We each have a moral responsibility as to how we respond to Your covenant grace, LORD God.  It is not for me to blame others, the church and leaders, for my own failures; for my lack of faith.  I make that decision - no one can do that for me.

How I believe and trust in You, LORD God should guide me in all that I do, every decision that I make.  Even though things seem to be falling apart around me that is no excuse for me to turn from You.  Daniel was such a wonderful example of this - his country was overtaken, he was taken into exile, turned into a eunuch, and basically became a slave.  Yet he kept his eyes ever on You and served as You would have him to and You blessed him for that.  Oh to be a Daniel!

It is just so sad that we too often choose to chase after anything that looks like it might be more fun or satisfying or exciting.  Like the Israelites we choose to chase after the wind.

"Ephraim feeds on the wind
   and pursues the east wind all day long . . .' (Hosea 12:1).

Solomon, considered to be the wisest man to have ever lived, learned this the hard way by indulging himself and basically losing himself in every possible pleasure available to him; bringing him to the only conclusion possible.

"I have seen everything that is done under the sun,
   and behold,
   all is vanity and 
   a striving after the wind" (Ecclesiastes 1:14).

You, LORD God are good and right.
I can be wise in Your ways by trusting in Your precepts.
I can understand what I need to because You enable my mind to grasp what is necessary.
I can be discerning by leaning into You, and crying out to You for help whenever I feel lost.

"The upright see it and are glad,
     and all wickedness shuts its mouth.
Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
   let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD" (Psalm 107:43).

"You keep him in perfect peace 
     whose mind is stayed on You,
     because he trusts in You"  (Isaiah 26:3).

Help me, LORD God, to seek You out each morning.  Help me to remember who I am, Your child and follower.  Help me to remember Your goodness and rightness.

"Satisfy me in the morning with your steadfast love,
   that we may rejoice and be glad all our days" (Psalm 90:14).

I do not need to be wasting my life chasing after things that do not satisfy.  I can choose to feed on You and not the wind.

Chasing After the Wind by Alan Powell
Hallejah

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Trusting In Lies

Reading:  Hosea 4 - 10
My Verse:  "You have plowed iniquity;
                     you have reaped injustice;
                     you have eaten the fruit of lies.

                     Because you have trusted in your own way
                        and in the multitude of your warriors . . .

                     therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people,
                        and all your fortresses shall be destroyed . . ."  (Hosea 10:12).

This is something I struggle with continually, LORD God, our propensity for trusting in the wrong things.

It is so easy to be lead astray  by wrong perceptions.  This whole business of "fake news" is  confusing for so many.  I find myself being amazed when various people are interviewed on the media and these individuals so assuredly and unabashedly state that they believe things that are simply not true - things that are basically lies!

My son and I like to discuss the political state of our country.  And we often come to this - why are so many willing to believe that which isn't true?  And why when they are confronted do they not question their sources of information?

We watched a bit of the Sally Yates testimony.  I found it disturbing the line of questioning some of the senators took.  One senator in particular was questioning her very ability to decide whether something is deemed simply wrong according to our constitution and legislative laws.  One got the feeling that he was not interested in finding out the truth but was trying to put a question on her ability to ascertain what is truth.

I saw this saying that I liked because I believe it takes us back to You, LORD God.  The saying was this "False beliefs collide with physical reality."  I believe this saying is an echo of Numbers 32:23 which states, "and be sure your sin will find you out."

Lying is a terrible thing.  You tell us in Your Word who is the source of all lies.

"You belong to your father, the devil, 
     and you want to carry out your father's desires.
 He was a murderer from the beginning,
     not holding to the truth,
     for there is no truth in him.

 When he lies, 
     he speaks his native language,
     for he is a liar and the father of lies"  (John 8:44).

Right from the beginning, our propensity for believing lies shows up when Eve chose to believe Satan because she wanted something she had no business wanting.  By Eve believing that one lie of Satan's  all of creation to went into a downward spiral.  Every time we lie we add to that downward spiral not only worldwide but in our own personal life and that of our loved ones.

The senator questioning Sally Yates seemed to question our very ability to know what truth is.  I do not believe  that we are incapable of knowing truth.   You, LORD God, created us in Your own image.  And because of that we do have the ability to seek out and find truth.  In fact You tell us to do this very thing!

"And you will seek Me and find Me,
   when you search for Me with all your heart"  (Jeremiah 29:13).

"Ask, and it shall be given to you,
   seek and you shall find;
   knock, and it shall be opened to you"  (Matthew 7:7).

These verses tell us to seek You, LORD God, if we want to know truth because You are truth.

"I am the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6).

By seeking You we find truth and freedom.

"Then you will know the truth,
   and the truth will set you free"  (John 8:32).

"I will walk about in freedom,
   for I have sought Your precepts"  (Psalm 119:45).

Lies eats away at the fabric of our lives, our society.  Each lie nibbles away at our very soul, slowly but inevitably destroying it. You, LORD God detest all manner of falsehood. (Proverbs 6:16-19).

What a sad sad place to be - living in a web of lies!  To be living in the midst of lies and lying for so long that one becomes unable to know what is truth.  One becomes unable to even recognize their very own lying.  But, You LORD God want so much more for us and offer us forgiveness, cleansing and healing.

Thank you, LORD God, for creating me in Your own image.  Thank you, that I can know truth.
Help me to be ever vigilant to keep my gaze directed toward You, Who are Truth!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!