November 01, 2007 Hosea 7:14

11/01/2007

Hosea 7:14 (NASB)¹⁴    And they do not cry to Me from their heart
     When they wail on their beds;
     For the sake of grain and new wine they assemble themselves,
     They turn away from Me.

Hosea 6:6 (HCSB)⁶For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Have you seen people who become very cooperative and nice to the boss when it is time for performance reviews? Have you seen bratty kids get real sweet when they want something from their parents?

This is the picture we get here in these passages in Hosea. The Jews had the habit of wailing in prayer and petition to God, but it was merely a performance. They would come together in assemblies and mock worship for the sake of abundant harvests but then go their way and worship their idols.

Are we like that? Do we come to worship out of a sense of duty rather than desire? Do we make grand petitions to God when we are in need but then go on living as if there were no God? Are our lives Monday through Saturday altogether different than our lives on Sunday?

In Hosea 6:6, God clearly states His preference. What good is a sacrifice if it does not represent a changed heart? What good is the act of worship without the understanding of worship?

Let’s put this in the context of the bratty kid. If that child were obedient and disciplined all the time, then the parent would delight in granting the child’s request. That sweetness in the child’s request would be precious to the parent. But if the kid remains unruly and rebellious, then the sweetness in his request is clearly seen as fake and is detestable to the parent. It doesn’t mean that the parent does not love the child, but the relationship is strained.

Let us strive to be loyal in our worship and give to God our hearts. Let us seek to know Him in earnestness so that when we do approach Him, it is precious and dear.

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