GOD WANTS ALL OF US
GOD WANTS ALL OF US!
God wants all of us. Period!
Not a part of us
Not just some of us.
Not a bit of us.
ALL OF US!
Recently, I was studying the book of Hosea. I always struggle to read this particular prophet so I was treading carefully as I began. In chapter two, it was recorded that God was upset with the children of Israel; not only because they kept going after other gods but also because they never acknowledged that God was the source of all they had. “She doesn’t realize it was I who gave her everything she has— the grain, the new wine, the olive oil; I even gave her silver and gold. But she gave all my gifts to Baal.” Hosea 2:8 NLT God has already told us that he would not share His glory with any one. “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.” Isaiah 42:8 NIV It was therefore not pleasing to God that His beloved Israel, was frolicking and hanging out with other gods. In this day and age, we should never make the mistake of thinking or believing that it is who or what we know that gets us the deal, the job, the contract or the position. God will definitely use people to bless us but God is the one to be honoured and acknowledged. By all means we are grateful and appreciative of the helpers but we must know with every certainty that God is always the source.
This is clearly shown when God used even the one that did not acknowledge Him (Cyrus the great) to liberate His people Israel and help them rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. “Cyrus, you don’t even know me! But I have called you by name and highly honored you because of Israel, my chosen servant.Only I am the LORD! There are no other gods. I have made you strong, though you don’t know me.” Isaiah 45:4-5 CEV. God always went to great lengths for His chosen people. (And He still does.) Even as far as using a Gentile king who did not know Him.
So in Hosea 2:14 we see how God lured Israel to the desert, to speak comfortably to her. Whenever we find ourselves in the desert of life, where it is dry, empty and lonely we must turn to God. (Was this not what happened to king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon? It was in the wilderness that he acknowledged God. The original plan of God at creation was to have fellowship with us. (As with Adam and Eve in the garden.) But could it be that we are so comfortable in the garden that we do not even remember the One who put us there? Or could it be that we are too relaxed and therefore can get easily distracted by things that are of no significance? In contrast, there is not much to distract one in the desert. God is always with us and will even stay with is in the desert speaking softly, tenderly and lovingly to us.
As it turns out, in this age, too many things are vying for our attention. The scourge of social media is apparently unprecedented. Family relationships have broken up because of social media. Children have become rebellious, mental health is at an all time high. As much as it is a tool for us to use, most of us are allowing social media to use us. This should not be.
The Lenten Season, which starts on Ash Wednesday tomorrow, is the perfect time to reflect on our relationship with our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, His only Son.
God loves us dearly and deeply and it is written that we are created for His pleasure. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11 KJV And one of the best ways to please God, is to place nothing or nobody above Him.
Let us go back to the heart of worship and prioritise God above all else. As we fast, this Lent, let us be liberated from the addiction, the obsession and the pull of social media or any other thing that takes our attention off God. Let us minimise screen time to the barest minimum and spend that time in praise, in worship and in word study.
Let us make this season count and give God our all.
IT WILL PLEASE GOD GREATLY IF WE GIVE HIM OUR ALL.
OLUYINKA EGO-MARTINS ©