Remember When?

Tuesday 7-7-15 (Home in Modesto)

Scripture reading:    Hosea 10-12    Psalm 73    Heb 4

S.  Hosea 11:1-4  When Israel was a child, I loved him as a son, and I called my son out of Egypt. But the more I called to him, the more he rebelled, offering sacrifices to the images of Baal and burning incense to idols.  It was I who taught Israel how to walk, leading him along by the hand. But he doesn't know or even care that it was I who took care of him.  I led Israel along with my ropes of kindness and love. I lifted the yoke from his neck, and I myself stooped to feed him. NLT

O.  God is saying, “Remember when?”  “You were a little child and I loved you.  I held onto your hands and taught you to walk.  I took care of you.  I stooped down to feed you.  Don’t you remember when I lifted you from the yoke of slavery?”  But Israel, like a wayward son, has forgotten. 

We were like a little child, 13 weak and fragile colonies struggling for survival on the eastern coast of a land called America still held under the tyranny of a cruel and demanding king of England.  Although England’s army was much stronger, more highly trained and better equipped than our untrained men with old muskets.  It was like Pharoah’s powerful armies chasing down an unarmed Israel.  There was almost no hope, but my ancestors cried out to God for salvation and He listened and miraculously saved us.  He lifted the yoke of our slavery to England off our shoulders.  Then God took us by the hand and taught us to walk.  He walked us through the pain of shaking off the black evil of slavery in our own land… and is still leading us to honor men not by their color, but by their actions. 

But now we, like Israel, have come of age.  We are big boys now.  We don’t need God any more.  So our officials have turned on Him, trashed Him and officially banished Him from our shores.  Are we any better than Israel in Hosea’s day?

A.  And may this not become the story of my personal life!  God gave me Christian parents that took me tenderly by the hand and taught to walk… step by step.  They taught me how to walk with God.  Then I became a big boy.  I reached the “age of rebellion.”  Yet somehow by the mercy of God I escaped that evil thing and He carried me into adulthood.

P.  Heavenly Father, I can hear you calling to me today.  You are saying “Remember when?”  And, yes, I do remember.  The memories come flooding back into my soul.  I am a product of Your tender care.  I am not a self-made man.  I owe my very life to You.  I am Yours and Yours forever!  Amen.

Ralph

1	I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,   And it told Thy love to me; But I long to rise in the arms of faith,   And be closer drawn to Thee.
	Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,   To the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,     To Thy precious, bleeding side.
2	Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,   By the pow’r of grace divine; Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,   And my will be lost in Thine.
3	O the pure delight of a single hour   That before Thy throne I spend, When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,   I commune as friend with friend!
4	There are depths of love that I yet may know   Ere Thee face to face I see; There are heights of joy that I yet may reach   Ere I rest in peace with Thee. Fanny Crosby