Hosea 11 and America

⁷ My people are determined to turn from me.
Even if they call to the Most High,
he will by no means exalt them.

⁸ "How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah?
How can I make you like Zeboiim?
My heart is changed within me;
all my compassion is aroused.

⁹ I will not carry out my fierce anger,
nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim.
For I am God, and not man—
the Holy One among you.
I will not come in wrath. ^c]">[c]

There were so many times, I think, when God was about to give up on his nation Israel. But he never did. That is the love of God. And it is the spiritual example and pinnacle of fatherhood, the goal worthy fathers all strive for. "Ah! But a man's grasp should exceed his reach", wrote Browning, "or what's a heaven for?" So we strive to be compassionate like our heavenly father, and at the same time to be just and teach our children right from wrong.

At times---particularly as teens---our children seem bound and determined to turn from us. But compassion is suddenly aroused and our heart changed. We find ourselves crying out, "How can I give up on you, Ephraim?" So the Lord felt toward his people, who were determined to be their own man, go their own way, and reject God's law, leading and love.

I am often guilty of giving up on my country. If I read the news and listen to the pundits, or think very deeply about the ways politicians are eviscerating our Constitution and diminishing our freedoms, I feel the end is near and I am ready to give up on America. This is not the heart of God. He has not decreed captivity for America, at least I have not heard of it. But there was a time when he did this to Israel, finally, and I'm sure he will do the same for America if we continue on our selfish, godless path.

Yet even then, God did not give up on Israel. He brought them back, much humbled, and much poorer, and did give them back their land after 70 years in Babylon.

And so I feel it is time for God to greatly humble America. Many WILL go into captivity, or perhaps bankruptcy or poverty or will leave for some other place. But this isn't the end. It is God's discipline, which is reserved for those He truly loves.

Praise be to the Lord, who disciplines us. Father, I am not worthy of your blessing and discipline. But help me not to reject the one or doubt you when hardship comes to me and my nation. Lord, give us faith that bears the cross of shame and suffering and commits our spirits to you, when you discipline your sons. Turn Christians in America back to their faith and trust in God, and commitment to proclaim your truth at any cost. IJNA