Steadfast love

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord.

Primary Text

“O Ephraim, what shall I do with you? [says the Lord] O Judah, what shall I do with you? For your [wavering] love and kindness are like the night mist or like the dew that goes early away. Therefore have I hewn down and smitten them by means of the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; My judgments [pronounced upon them by you prophets] are like the light that goes forth. For I desire and delight in dutiful steadfast love and goodness, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of and acquaintance with God more than burnt offerings.” v4-6 (AMP)

Beloved, how is your love for God? How is your devotion to Him? Here Ephraim and Judah’s love were found to be temporal – transient and fleeting. Now it is here, now it is not there. But what does God really desire (wish, want, longing, craving, yearning, need, aspiration, wish for, long for, covet)? Hosea 4v6 (TLB) says “I don’t want your sacrifices – I want your love; I don’t want your offerings – I want you to know Me.” Prior to this, Hosea 6v3 (TLB) says “Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know Him, and He will respond to us as surely as the coming of dawn or the rain of early spring’” The Amplified puts it this way “Yes, let us know (recognize, be acquainted with, and understand) Him; let us be zealous to know the Lord [to appreciate, give heed to, and cherish Him]. His going forth is prepared and certain as the dawn, and He will come to us as the [heavy] rain, as the latter rain that waters the earth.” v3 (AMP). With a sacrifice, one will just go and buy something or give up something, some inconvenience momentarily. It is not all the time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week action. The same with burnt offerings. However, God wants our love. In loving God, there will be sacrifice, but it is of a different sort and comes from an entirely different place. He wants people who will serve Him not just with their mouths but with their hearts. Will that be you today? Are you ready to be devoted to the Lord in steadfast love that moves beyond ticking the boxes of I have attended church today and fellowship? Will your 24 hours reflect a cherishing of the Lord who has approached you and extended His love to you? Will you respond to Him today?

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your Word. We repent of every kind of unfaithfulness, where our love to You has been fleeting. We draw near to You this day to love You and know You and we thank You because You will respond to us. Let our love for You and devotion to You be steadfast and grow to the glory and honour of Your name in Jesus name, amen.