Moving From Here To There

One of the key words in the book of Hosea is acknowledge. Acknowledgement simply means to accept or deny the truth.

Israel’s failure of acknowledging God was two-fold. First, they did not regard God who brought them out of a place of bondage (Egypt) and into the Promise Land (Israel) as a covenanted people. Secondly, they would not acknowledge their unfaithfulness which brought on their present condition. So they remained in a place of moral and spiritual bankruptcy. The prophet urged them, “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” (Hosea 6:3, KJV).

The movement in our lives from here in a place of brokenness and oppression to there – where God is calling us - requires repentance.

Repentance is not a halfhearted, “Lord, I’m sorry and promise not to do this or that again (whatever the besetting sin).” Nor is repentance tedious labor that we have to sweat to gain God’s acceptance and approval. Perhaps we think after all the work we can feel better about ourselves and feel closer to God when in truth we have not fully surrendered all to Him. Soon enough we find ourselves falling into the same gross sin that we promised God and ourselves we would never to return. So begins a cycle of sin and confess.

True repentance is acknowledging you are in a place you should not be and it means calling upon His Spirit to lead you back to Him. It means 180 degree turn toward God and away from the place of bondage.

Repentance is a reality check for it means acknowledging that Assyria or some other means can’t deliver us. “Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount warhorses. We will never again say ‘Our gods’ to what our own hands have made, for in you the fatherless find compassion.” (Hosea 14:3, NIV).

In measure the Lord judged Assyria because it declared, “By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man.” (Isaiah 10:13, KJV). The very thing we put our trust God will judge and bring to an end so that we may be delivered.

What temptation does the Assyrians represent?

First, Assyria represents human reasoning. A type of arrogant thinking that says in essence, “I can outwit sin’s destruction while still enjoying the pleasures it offers. Somehow I can intellectually manage it in my own strength and will. I’m empowered to make my own choices and can stop at any time.” How quickly a little sip of alcohol or just a few puffs of a cigarette does it take before addiction sets in!

But there’s something much deeper and more hideous at work with human reasoning.

Human reasoning assumes that any ordained boundaries or restrictions set by God doesn't apply to them. They have their reasons and excuses. They were deprived as a child. My habit is genetic or my sin is inherent. I’m lonely so what was I to do?

Whenever we assume something to be true outside what God has already spoken through His word to our hearts; we break fidelity. Instead we take matters in our own hands to satisfy our needs and desires without a thought to what pleases the heart of God. That is why we are instructed in Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (KJV). Recall Romans 1:25 there is a danger in human reasoning to exchange the truth for a lie. What follows is worship for the lesser glory which soon becomes debased and degraded.

Which is why we need His help to change our mindsets and attitude to see our present condition through His eyes - for with such conviction it will cause us to move toward Him - away from a place that so often leads to death.

Remember the work of repentance to change us can only be done by the Spirit of God. Beloved, rest in the promise of Philippians 2:13. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. (NLT).