NO KING, NO PRIEST, NO GOD-CONNECTION

For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or teraphim.  Hosea 3:4

            When a nation turns her back on God, it languishes in more ways than just one.  Her loss is more than just spiritual.  It is threefold – according to God.

    1.) She will not have a king or prince.  She will be void of the national or political leadership she needs.  People will look to leaders for justice.  It won’t be found because corruption will mark the climate of the government.  She will look for compassion, for fairness, and for respect.  Promises for all three might have been made during the election process, but once the leaders were installed, such rhetoric was forgotten.

    2.) She will not have spiritual leaders she can depend on.  The nation will be in want of a true servant of God.  Religion will be marked by those who self-promote.  Their post is more about them than serving others.  In the wake of such soulishness, the spirit of God is absent.  Those who look to the church for a warm place to be taught and nurtured will come up empty.

    3.) She will not have the supernatural guidance she needs, the ephod and teraphim being absent.  When calamity strikes and when questions are directed in heaven’s direction there will only be deafening silence.

            The consequences for running away from God are so profound.  We live as orphans.  God never intended for it to be that way.  No wonder He is relentless in His call for our return.  No wonder He blocks our wayward path with thorn bushes.  He knows the price we will pay will be too expensive.  While this devotional goes to many places internationally, I am struck by our national spiritual climate.  I see that in many respects, we are experiencing the symptoms God describes.  Oh, the price of spiritual harlotry.  Hosea knew the pain of infidelity.  Gomer knew the consequences.

            To walk faithfully with God is to know true security.  God knew we couldn’t live without Him and set His precepts in place to ensure that we would never know what it is like to live out from under His blessing.

I will never take our connection for granted.  I protect it with my life. Even in these dark times, Your light blazes in my heart.  I follow the clear path you have lit in front of me.  Amen