Idols

My precious sis sent me a study on Hosea. I'm only 3 days in and am already getting so much out of it. Today I looked at chapter 2 and did some soul searching on idolatry. Although I don't worship any little handheld wooden idols like we've read about in the Bibe (yes, I left out the "L", it's my Bibe, always has been. Haha!) I can safely say that I can be accused of having an idolatrous heart toward Him because I give too much attention to other things. Boy, was that an eye opener. I thought I was safe since I don't worship those wooden religious relics BUT Idols can be anything from someone you love so much to music, clothes, money or power. What do you spend too much time on aside from God. That very well could be your idol. Anyway, after my conviction of the realization that I idolize my husband more than my Father at times, I was directed to some familiar scripture that I love & can relate to my new found conviction.

"Therefore I will block her path with thorn bushes; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way. She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them." Hosea 2:6,7

When I read this, I see "chase after her lovers" and the word "lovers" as a form of idolatry. What do you chase after? Money? Popularity? The finer things/labels? Love? Poor Gomer (the woman for whom these verses were inspired) She was chasing after lovers, clothes, food and drink. You see it to this very day, I know I'm guilty of having a few idols myself. For example, when you do finally get that coach purse you've been wanting all year, does it bring you happiness? Of course it does! But, do you not agree that eventually that purse ends up in the back of your closet? Material things are fleeting! It only brings temporary happiness-->"She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them." Your "idols" don't bring you true soul quenching love, satisfying you to your very core forever and ever. Don't you long for this? I feel like it's in our very make up, in every fiber, the desire to feel truly satisfied, fulfilled and loved. These verses might seem a little harsh but just consider it for a moment. He is purposely thwarting our efforts to find a life apart from Him. He does this in order to wear us out, to get us to turn back to Him in thirsty longing.

He then begins to woo us. Which is exactly what happened to me and I'm willing to bet has happened to EVERY single person who believes.

"Therefore I am going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her." Hosea 2:14

The moment this happens is the most beautiful, indescribable (there are literally no words) thing that will ever happen to you. These are not empty words, they are living and true and have happened time and time again to His children all over the world. Can I get a AMEN? Haha!

"In that day," declares the Lord, "you will call me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master...'

"I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion." Hosea 2:16, 19

THIS is what I long for. Reading this, experiencing this firsthand is what I was made for. My sister said it well after her travels ," I'm grateful that my true home is where I've yet to set my feet :)" I'm thankful for this conviction today. I will begin to try my hardest not to put any other idols before Him.

"Those who cling to idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." Jonah 2:8

Tamar

Hello everyone! This morning, I read from Tamar's story and would just like to share a little. "Her story has it all: mysterious deaths, deceptive relatives, mistaken identities, hidden babies, even a woman sentenced to burn at the stake!" At one point in my life, it never interested me to pick up my Bible because I thought I'd be bored to death reading about facts and historical figures. No no no, don't be fooled as I was! It is filled to the brim with excitement and intrigue. Her story can be found at the end of Genesis 37, I encourage you to read it for yourself. To sum it up, this poor young woman is married off to Judah's son. Judah was a mean and stubborn old man. Her husband was put to death in his evil ways and she was handed off to his brother (customary of the Levirate tradition) who was also struck dead for the same reason. They were horrible husbands, poor Tamar. After a series of events, not in her favor of course, and over a period of time, she took matters into her own hands. She disguised herself and tricked Judah (the stubborn man, her father-in-law) using her feminine ways to become pregnant with his offspring. And yes, this is a story introduced to me through "Really Bad Girls of the Bible" so bear with me ;) Get to know her and her story before you judge her actions. She was an emotionally abused, grossly ignored woman who'd been through hell and back who was desperate for a child, the child she felt she deserved after everything she'd been through. She was an honorable woman who made one bad decision. But that's the tricky thing about God's grace and master plan, everything happens for a reason friends and when this story comes full circle, a savior is born. Anyway, once he finds out she is pregnant, as his daughter in law and part of his family, he demands she be put to death. But clever Tamar isn't going down so easily. "she sent a message to her father in law. "I am pregnant by the man who owns these," she said. Gen 38:25 You see, she had asked for his seal and staff at the moment of um...how to put this nicely....conception. It was his payment to her. These were items of great importance and identity to the man who owned them at the time and he had given them to her as she had asked (that's what you get Judah!) and finally, for once, Judah did the right thing. When the seal and staff were shown to him, he recognized them and acknowledged them, admitting his wrong doing. In the Bible, he even admits "she is more right than I am". She eventually gave birth to twins, how like God to replace Judah's two sons with twin boys through all of this.

Lesson learned: "The Lord uses her in spite of her sin. That's the hook we hang our hope on, sisters. Not in 'getting it right,' but in knowing that although we get it wrong over and over, consistently, even blatantly, God's power to accomplish his will is not limited to our meager efforts. We are made for one purpose: to worship and glorify God. Our challenge is to stop trying to make things work out for our good and let God work things out for His good and perfect will through us." Which is always in our best interest to begin with, am I right? ;)