Scripture Read: Hosea 2: [8] "For she does not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the oil, And lavished on her silver and gold, Which they used for Baal. [9] "Therefore, I will take back My grain at harvest time And My new wine in its season. I will also take away My wool and My flax Given to cover her nakedness. [10] "And then I will uncover her lewdness In the sight of her lovers, And no one will rescue her out of My hand. [11] "I will also put an end to all her gaiety, Her feasts, her new moons, her sabbaths, And all her festal assemblies. [12] "And I will destroy her vines and fig trees, Of which she said, 'These are my wages Which my lovers have given me.' And I will make them a forest, And the beasts of the field will devour them. [13] "And I will punish her for the days of the Baals When she used to offer sacrifices to them And adorn herself with her earrings and jewelry, And follow her lovers, so that she forgot Me," declares the LORD.
Application: This is a powerful concept. How much of what God has lavished on me have I used to serve other god’s. My talents and gifts used to serve my ego? My imagination to serve vengeance and sex? Even my body. Serving the pleasures of food and lust? Why do we so often read a verse like this and quickly dismiss it. Yes we have no wooden idols in most cases, but that does not mean we are not using what God has given us to serve other gods we have set up in our lives. I am sure that I have squandered much of what You have given Lord. For that I ask Your forgiveness. Fill me with your Spirit. Let me look again at what You have given me and make sure I am honoring You with how I am using it. This may be painful now, but in the end it will be better to honor You rather then remain complacent and lose an eternity of investment. Thank you Lord for your Grace and Patience with me. I love you.
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