Thursday September 23, 2004

— Stuff YoUR hole —

 “They will eat but not have enough; they will engage in prostitution but not increase,
because they have deserted the LORD
to give themselves to prostitution, to old wine and new,
which take away the understanding  of my people.
They consult a wooden idol and are answered by a stick of wood.
A spirit of prostitution leads them astray;
they are unfaithful to their God.
 They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills,
under oak, poplar and terebinth, where the shade is pleasant.
Therefore your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery.
 I will not punish your daughters when they turn to prostitution,
nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery,
because the men themselves consort with harlots and sacrifice with shrine prostitutes-
a people without understanding will come to ruin!”

— Hosea 4:10-14 (NIV) —

Ever felt like your efforts have come to nothing? All your energy goes to waste? Maybe God’s trying to send you a sign.
Eat, eat, eat some more… but you’ll never fill that void with food. Join yourself with anyone, put a pricetag on everything and anything… then ask yourself when you feel empty… why there’s that hole in your soul.

Ever tried to buy something sacred? I don’t think you can… it’s like trying to place a pricetag on something priceless. Family? life? love? family heirloom? It’s an affront to even try to purchase it.

I think this verse is talking about people trying to “buy” God’s blessings. Trying to please God with offerings rather than just trying to please God though our actions and our thoughts. Read between the lines and you can almost feel God’s lament: “Where is your heart? I am here. But where is your heart?”

A wooden idol and a stick of wood seem so much easier to deal with than a real person. But what real satisfaction do you get from them? Can a piece of wood answer you? Isn’t that idol nothing more than something you’ve created? Can a creation ever surpass it’s Creator?

Sacrifice in comfort, where the sacrifice doesn’t cost you anything. Giving out of comfort is so different from giving your of your own blood, sweat and tears. Keep believing that just because you sacrifice to me, I will be pleased and bless you. Sacrifice… believing you will be paid back in kind and you will. “I desire mercy, not sacrifice”

I won’t discipine your women for you. What good is it to discipline them when they come home to men who don’t know good when it’s sitting under their noses. Neither one understands, discipline only benefits the wise. Beat a fool and he only recognizes the power.