"I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord. "
Hosea 2:20, NLT
I read this verse the other day, and I can't seem to get it out of my mind. You see, I'm what they call a 'striver'- always working and doing and striving. Sometimes it's a good thing, even a great thing! I can get things done, and generally do them well. I don't require a lot of sleep so I can get even more done! By all appearances I'm pretty successful and lead a pretty happy life.
On the other hand, being a 'striver' has its draw backs. It can be exhausting, and I don't always know how to say no or to stop. Sometimes I have too many irons in the fire and details get overlooked and the end result is not what was expected...creating more work. It can get lonely...striving to do on my own and not allowing others to help.
The worse part, though, is the need to feel appreciated and the feeling that I have to do in order to earn that appreciation or recognition, especially when this 'striving' spills over into my walk with God. I know in my head that God loves me, sent His Son to die on the cross, and that only by HIS grace I am saved. My heart, on the other hand, doesn't always make that connection, which is why this verse in Hosea really struck a cord with me.
"I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord. "
Hosea 2:20, NLT. God is saying that HE will be faithful to me...not me working and doing to be faithful to Him. HE is going to make me HIS...not ME making Him mine. I do have to act and respond and ask for His forgiveness, but ultimately HE is the one making me HIS... He's GOD!!! And then the finally part... I laughed the first time I read it because I could almost hear God's voice with a heavy sigh..."and you will FINALLY know me as the Lord." How can I really know Him as Lord if I'm so busy doing things that I think will make Him happy, when all He really wants is me...not my accomplishments, not my accolades, not even my work that I do for His kingdom. He is calling me to KNOW Him; to slow down, sit down, and STOP... "I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord. " Hosea 2:20, NLT
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Finally!!
"I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord. "
Hosea 2:20, NLT
I read this verse the other day, and I can't seem to get it out of my mind. You see, I'm what they call a 'striver'- always working and doing and striving. Sometimes it's a good thing, even a great thing! I can get things done, and generally do them well. I don't require a lot of sleep so I can get even more done! By all appearances I'm pretty successful and lead a pretty happy life.
On the other hand, being a 'striver' has its draw backs. It can be exhausting, and I don't always know how to say no or to stop. Sometimes I have too many irons in the fire and details get overlooked and the end result is not what was expected...creating more work. It can get lonely...striving to do on my own and not allowing others to help.
The worse part, though, is the need to feel appreciated and the feeling that I have to do in order to earn that appreciation or recognition, especially when this 'striving' spills over into my walk with God. I know in my head that God loves me, sent His Son to die on the cross, and that only by HIS grace I am saved. My heart, on the other hand, doesn't always make that connection, which is why this verse in Hosea really struck a cord with me.
"I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord. "
Hosea 2:20, NLT. God is saying that HE will be faithful to me...not me working and doing to be faithful to Him. HE is going to make me HIS...not ME making Him mine. I do have to act and respond and ask for His forgiveness, but ultimately HE is the one making me HIS... He's GOD!!! And then the finally part... I laughed the first time I read it because I could almost hear God's voice with a heavy sigh..."and you will FINALLY know me as the Lord." How can I really know Him as Lord if I'm so busy doing things that I think will make Him happy, when all He really wants is me...not my accomplishments, not my accolades, not even my work that I do for His kingdom. He is calling me to KNOW Him; to slow down, sit down, and STOP... "I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord. " Hosea 2:20, NLT
Hosea 2:20, NLT
I read this verse the other day, and I can't seem to get it out of my mind. You see, I'm what they call a 'striver'- always working and doing and striving. Sometimes it's a good thing, even a great thing! I can get things done, and generally do them well. I don't require a lot of sleep so I can get even more done! By all appearances I'm pretty successful and lead a pretty happy life.
On the other hand, being a 'striver' has its draw backs. It can be exhausting, and I don't always know how to say no or to stop. Sometimes I have too many irons in the fire and details get overlooked and the end result is not what was expected...creating more work. It can get lonely...striving to do on my own and not allowing others to help.
The worse part, though, is the need to feel appreciated and the feeling that I have to do in order to earn that appreciation or recognition, especially when this 'striving' spills over into my walk with God. I know in my head that God loves me, sent His Son to die on the cross, and that only by HIS grace I am saved. My heart, on the other hand, doesn't always make that connection, which is why this verse in Hosea really struck a cord with me.
"I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord. "
Hosea 2:20, NLT. God is saying that HE will be faithful to me...not me working and doing to be faithful to Him. HE is going to make me HIS...not ME making Him mine. I do have to act and respond and ask for His forgiveness, but ultimately HE is the one making me HIS... He's GOD!!! And then the finally part... I laughed the first time I read it because I could almost hear God's voice with a heavy sigh..."and you will FINALLY know me as the Lord." How can I really know Him as Lord if I'm so busy doing things that I think will make Him happy, when all He really wants is me...not my accomplishments, not my accolades, not even my work that I do for His kingdom. He is calling me to KNOW Him; to slow down, sit down, and STOP... "I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord. " Hosea 2:20, NLT
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1 comment:
You are amazing! Thanks for sharing that message.
Amazing that he want to make us his even though we are just a bag of warts and calusus?
Love you.
C-
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