What We Want

07.05.13

Hosea 3.4,5 4 For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods. 5 Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days. ESV

Yesterday was our US national day of remembering our nation’s declaration of independence from the British monarchy in 1776. It wasn’t a very popular concept with the English king: his colonies deciding to become their own nation. And so a war ensued and the colonists prevailed and a country was born and here we are 237 years later…supposedly remembering that declaration.

In Hosea’s day the nation of Israel had declared not so much with words as with actions their independence from King God; they’d decided that God wasn’t enough (or enough fun) and they went after other ‘gods’, like Baal, Ashtoreh, Molech, etc. They wanted gods who’d get the job done and because God seemed to God-like they decided to go with the gods of the surrounding super-power nations which seemed to be the reason they were super-powers.

Now, the attitude of king George of England in 1776 was: Well, when these unruly colonists come to their senses and see they have no tea, and no protection from the power of the English Empire, they’ll come around. They’ll come a-begging to be taken back.

God on the other hand said, “…the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods. Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God…” They would realize what they’d lost. The difference between King God and king George was King God knew what He was talking about; king George didn’t.

I’ve heard it said that God has four answers to our prayers: Yes, No, Wait, and, If you insist.

For God so loved His people that He gave them what they wanted so that they could remember what they lost. (Paul Turk 3.16) Israel needed to fix their memory; they couldn’t remember.

We, in this great land, must somehow remember; but not all know Who started it: we need to remember Him. King God will let those who want their own way to have their own way; and it seems He will allow them their own way until they remember (or realize) what they have isn’t what they wanted. King God is only about the Best and offering the Best to everyone who’ll take Him at His royal word.

The mission of those who know His Best is to help those who don’t to come to King God and accept His offer. And the proof is those who know will live knowing; it’ll be believable – or at least visible.

Father, take from me whatever You must in order to help me to see. Help me to help others see and help us all to accept You’ll give us what we insist until we realize it isn’t what we want…