– Responsible And Grateful
BRD REFLECTIONS:
(Victoria Lim SGL)
READ:
Hosea 13 (NIV)
OBSERVE:
Ephraim was an important tribe in Israel, and held great sway over the other tribes. When Ephraim spoke, the ‘people shook with fear’. It had potential to do much good and lead the other tribes towards God, but it chose to do the opposite. Ephraim sinned by worshipping Baal, and continued to sin by worshipping and sacrificing to man-made idols. As if that wasn’t enough, they encouraged others to do likewise. This speaks to me about responsible leadership. Godly leaders can point people to God but evil leaders will lead them astray.
God had brought Israel out of Egypt, taken care of them in the wilderness and provided for all their needs. His command was that “You must acknowledge no other God but Me, for there is no other Saviour” (v4). But instead of being obedient, grateful and acknowledging Him alone as their God, after they had eaten and were satisfied they became proud and forgot God. It’s so easy to think that I have achieved success on my own, forgetting that it’s God who enabled me, gave me the abilities and provided whatever was needed to do what I did. Gratitude is so very important, lest I forget the source of my blessings, become proud and forget God.
God brought pain upon the people like the pain of childbirth (v12, 13). Perhaps in their pain they will turn to God. But the people resisted God’s discipline and remained in their sin. Because they did not repent and turn back to God, He brought His judgment upon them and thus the people perished: “they will disappear like the morning mist, like dew in the morning” (v3). “The people of Samaria must bear the consequences of their guilt because they rebelled against their God….” (v16).
APPLY:
We all have spheres of influence, be it in church, in our family or at our place of work. As a Small Group Leader, I want to encourage my members to grow in Christlikeness. As a grandmother, I want to be a godly example pointing my grandchildren to God so that they will come to know Him as their own personal Savior, to love and serve Him all their lives.
Gratitude is so very important. I must never forget that to atone for my sins Jesus the Son of God came to this earth, died a horrible painful death so that I can be a child of God. Remembering His sacrificial love, I pray the Holy Spirit will keep me faithful till the day He calls me home.
DO:
I will:
- practice the Presence of God by reading the Bible to know Him more, by praying and spending time alone with Him.
- give thanks always by singing His praises and proclaiming His greatness and His goodness.
- remember His love by being grateful, and in gratitude, being a blessing to others so that they can give thanks to God too.
PRAY:
Dear God, thank you that I can call You Father. Thank you for drawing me back to You each time I stray, thus keeping me faithful to You thus far. I want to live a life that pleases You, that honors You. I want to be a blessing to the people You bring into my life.
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart,
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart.
In Jesus’ precious Name. Amen.
