Read Hosea 11 . In God's revelation through his servant, Hosea, we get an imaginative picture of the heart of God as he wrestles with what to do with his wayward child, Israel; and, in turn, we learn how God loves us. God's love is like that of a loving father who patiently puts up with a rebellious teenager . ( Hosea 11:1-4 ) Any parent who has walked alongside a child becoming an adult gets how God loves/feels in this situation. Hosea also reveals to us that God's love lets us experience the consequences of our choices. ( Hosea 11:5-7 ) God let Israel choose their kings and whom they would worship. God simply let all their choices play out in their history. Many of us blame God for our circumstances, but I'd say 90% of my messes I am in, I made! The troubles are simply the results of my free, self-patronizing choices--and being the human I am, I keep making them. God waits for me to admit my self-centeredness and turn to him. One more application : Too many parents ne...
run with endurance the race set out before you...Heb. 12:1-2