The Heart We Need!

We may be easily frustrated by the tendencies some people exhibit in their lives. Why don’t some people get it? Why can’t they see what is right and do it? Why do they continue down the road they are traveling? Why do they refuse to be drawn toward God?

Note the following description of God’s people at the time of Hosea.
“MY PEOPLE ARE BENT ON TURNING AWAY FROM ME, and though they call out to the Most High, he shall not raise them up at all.” ( Hosea 11:7 ESV)

What a sad picture of the people of God. Even though He had extended tender loving care (note Hosea 11:1-4) they were “bent on turning away” from Him. They were determined! This was what they were inclined toward! This was where their desire was fixed! What can be done when people are so intent on such a direction for their life? God created mankind with a freewill to choose and if they choose to turn away from Him He does not force them back even though His great desire is for their return.

I know how frustrated I feel when I see others determined to keep moving the wrong direction in their life. It challenges my patience. It moves me toward being ready to give up on them. There is only so much I can do since a lot depends on the choices others will make. However, one of the things we must keep in mind is that we don’t know what the final end might be for others. As long as there is life there is hope! This should encourage us to not be too quick to write others off! God -- Who has all of life in view and knows us all better than we even know ourselves -- has been very patient in the opportunities He provides for repentance. That is His great desire so that we can be saved. ( 2 Peter 3:9) So, what was God to do with these “bent on turning away” from Him?

As we continue the reading in Hosea…
“(8) HOW CAN I GIVE YOU UP, O Ephraim? HOW CAN I HAND YOU OVER, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? MY HEART RECOILS within me; MY COMPASSION GROWS WARM AND TENDER. (9) I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; FOR I AM GOD and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.” ( Hosea 11:8-9 ESV)

Admah and Zeboiim were cities allied with Sodom and Gomorrah ( Genesis 14:8) and were destroyed along with those two cities ( Deuteronomy 29:23) during the time of Abraham. However, God -- not being like a man (vs.9) who is frequently short on patience and often exercises unrestrained anger -- would again offer opportunity for repentance. God, Who has the right and complete justification if He chose to disregard us, has a HEART OF COMPASSION for His creation.

Praise God for His COMPASSION. It is the COMPASSIONATE HEART of God that we need to nurture in our own lives so that we do not allow frustration and impatience to cause us to give up hope for others. God’s patience has been tried far more than our own and yet we see His COMPASSION. We who have been the beneficiaries of His great COMPASSION and patience ought to show our appreciation through a willingness to extend it to others. May we strive to develop HIS HEART as we continue to reach out to even those who seem bent on moving away from His Way. We never know which action or moment might be the one that draws them back to Him.

Have a great day ALLOWING GOD’S COMPASSION TO BE AROUSED IN THE HEART!
Carl

See other teEn-MAIL on Compassion