Hosea 11:8. “How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.”
HOW SHALL I GIVE THEE UP? You have provoked Me until I can take no more You have ignored Me in ways that grieve Me sore You have defied My will and broken My laws You have turned aside and hated Me without a cause. And yet… How….?
You bowed to images you made yourselves You have put My laws up on dusty shelves You have left righteousness and honor far behind You have put truth and grace in places no one can find And yet… How shall….?
I loved you as a child when you needed Me I loved you as a son when you were in slavery I loved you as only a Father can love a son I loved you and called you – and you will not return And yet… How shall I….?
You listened to the world, and its tinseling sound You catered to your flesh and it left you naked on the ground You listened to the devil and thousands of you died You turned deaf ears to Me when through the prophets I cried
And yet… How shall I give….?
I gave you a good land that flowed with milk and honey I gave you homes and lands when none of you had any I gave you rains and sunshine to make your crops to grow And you turned from Me to idols who neither love, nor see, nor know And yet… How shall I give thee….?
How can I see you burn as those cities of the ungodly? How can I make you understand – how can I deliver thee? How can I quench this love that in Me burns so hot? How can I bring an end to retribution when your sinning will not stop? And yet… How shall I give thee up?
“What a deep heart of love is in Thee, O God! Israel failed Thee and yet Thou continued to love them. We fail Thee as a nation today, and yet we must be loved. The people of God fall far short of where we should be and still, we are loved. I know I am a poor failure in so many ways and yet Thou hast loved me – and continued to give me the privilege of speaking for Thee. I am overwhelmed with Thy mighty love so vast and powerful and continuing. I praise Thee and thank Thee for such unquenchable love. Amen.”