The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“For I am God, and not a man” (Hosea 11:9).

Many of us try to picture what God looks like. We have in our imaginations tried to liken Him to images that help us to understand Him. But frankly, our limited understanding and even the greatest imagination cannot begin to comprehend how awesome our God is. Hosea, the Old Testament prophet, needed to remember that God was not going to work in ways that men would work. Tragically Israel had turned to idolatry. God was now going to deal with Her in a way that would truly get Her attention–with discipline, for the unholy lifestyle within Her borders. God explained to Hosea that he may not understand exactly what He would be doing; however, it would be important for Hosea to remember that He is God and not a man. I have thought of that little phrase within the verse that we see used in our text today. I don’t know about you, but I rejoice in the fact that He is God and not a man. How awesome is our God! He moves in ways that I may not understand. He is gracious and faithful in situations where I would have been furious. He is holy and righteous in all that He does. Wherever you go today and whatever you face today, take strength and encouragement from this fact: He is God and not a man.

For today; Let’s be thrilled and give thanks that today our great God has reminded us that He is not a man. He is God!

“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich. The fear of the Lord prolongs days. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright” (Proverbs 10:22, 27, 29).

It is a wonderful joy and privilege to belong to the Lord. The guys in the carpool were discussing their childhood and what it was like to grow up in the homes into which they were born and raised. When it was Stanley’s turn to share with the rest of the guys in the car, he told them about his hard-working mom and dad who raised seven children on the old farm. It was a very hard life. Everyone had to work and be committed to making the farm profitable. It was also a God-fearing home. Only were the cows fed and milked on Sunday, as that was the day set aside for worship and family time together. Stanley remembered the hay being ready to be baled and it going to rain on Monday. Dad refused to bale hay on Sunday. “That’s really dumb,” said Hank as he shook his head. “I’m sure God would understand that he had to get the hay in on Sunday, since it was going to rain on Monday,” he continued. The rest of the carpool seemed to agree with Hank. But Stanley said, “I can still remember dad pulling the family Bible down after lunch and reading from Proverbs chapter 10. It talked about the blessing of God and the way of God because of the fear of God. Dad said, ‘Though the Bible doesn’t actually say ‘thou shalt not bale hay on Sunday,’ I just don’t think the Lord would be pleased. We’re going to obey Him and trust Him.’ The next day storm clouds gathered, but a wonderful thing happened. Just as the rain approached our county, it suddenly, for no apparent reason, turned southerly and completely missed the farms in our county!” Stanley continued, “I know it doesn’t always work that way, but I’ve never forgotten that lesson learned. I’ve sought to try and put the Lord first in my life. I wouldn’t trade the blessing of the Lord for anything!”

For today: “There is nothing as precious as the blessing of the Lord as I fear Him and seek to walk in His way.

“A false balance is an abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is His delight” (Proverbs 11:1).

As a believer, honesty and integrity are important matters. In the Biblical times, weights were used to determine the value and price of many things. Weights that were truly accurate and honestly used pleased the Lord. Inaccurate weights purposely used to deceive people and to bring about an unjust gain were an abomination to the Lord. The story is told of a dishonest butcher who had only one chicken left for sale. It was in the cooler when Mrs. Brown came to the store wanting to buy a chicken. She asked the butcher if he had a larger chicken for sale in the back. Taking the chicken out of the cooler and waiting a few seconds, he brought the same chicken back, trying to deceive her. “This bird is nearly a pound heavier,” the butcher emphatically said. The story is told that Mrs. Brown looked at the chicken and was not at all convinced that he was telling her the truth. Finally she said, “I think I will buy both chickens!” And of course the lie was exposed. We smile at this little story, but, friends, it is very important that you and I as believers live our lives in honesty and integrity. The world evaluates the reality of our faith in the little things we do in being honest and upright in our lives.

For today: I am going to ask the Lord to help me to be careful even in the little areas of my life. I know that honesty pleases the Lord.

“So they read it in the book of the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8).

Before us is one of the grand celebrations in the Old Testament. Nehemiah and the workers have completed the wall. Jerusalem once again has a fine and fitting wall. The wall of the ancient city provided not only protection from enemies, but often it demonstrated the value the people placed upon their Lord. Nehemiah realized that the wall had a far greater significance than just looking nice. He viewed it as a great work for God. Now it was time to celebrate. What a day it must have been as the people of the Lord gathered in the street that was before the water gate! Ezra opened the book of the Lord and blessed the great God. The Levites assisted him in making the law of God clear to understand and easy to apply, according to our verse for today. Pray for your pastor and Sunday school teachers. Ask the Lord to give them wisdom that they might not only teach the Word of God but that they might make it easy to understand and practical in its application. In one of my early pastoral ministries, a dear man by the name of Jim Van Hart told me, “Pastor Mike, I want to encourage you to remember that when you preach, keep the cookie jar low enough that even a young child can reach in. We grown-ups won’t mind bending over.” I never forgot that bit of advice. Why would we preach the Word of God without explaining it and helping folks to apply it?

For today: Be praying for your pastor, and be ready to apply the Word of God.

“Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart” (Proverbs 4:14, 20-21).

The writer of the book of Solomon was very clear in his instruction to his son. He tried to illustrate the lifestyle of sin as a highway. This highway would be traveled by the choices his son would make. Wherever his son would go, the prayers of his father would follow as well as would the instructions. It reminds me of the mother who lines her children up at the front door every morning as they are ready to leave for school. The checklist is quickly reviewed to make sure everybody has everything that they need for their day at school. One last word of instruction and reminder as mom says, “And remember, you will have to make choices today. Choose wisely and remember to whom you belong. The Lord Jesus loves you and so do I. Don’t be afraid to say no when your friends want you to do something that is not wise.” Come to think of it friends, that’s pretty good advice for us as well!

For today: I am going to ask the Lord to help me choose wisely throughout my day. How about you?