Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary's God Pause "Moved by the Promise" for Monday, 1 December 2014 - Scripture: Hosea 11:1-4

Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary's God Pause "Moved by the Promise" for Monday, 1 December 2014 - Scripture: Hosea 11: Israel Played at Religion with Toy Gods
1-9 “When Israel was only a child, I loved him.
    I called out, ‘My son!’—called him out of Egypt.
But when others called him,
    he ran off and left me.
He worshiped the popular sex gods,
    he played at religion with toy gods.
Still, I stuck with him. I led Ephraim.
    I rescued him from human bondage,
But he never acknowledged my help,
    never admitted that I was the one pulling his wagon,
That I lifted him, like a baby, to my cheek,
    that I bent down to feed him.
Now he wants to go back to Egypt or go over to Assyria—
    anything but return to me!
That’s why his cities are unsafe—the murder rate skyrockets
    and every plan to improve things falls to pieces.
My people are hell-bent on leaving me.
    They pray to god Baal for help.
    He doesn’t lift a finger to help them.
But how can I give up on you, Ephraim?
    How can I turn you loose, Israel?
How can I leave you to be ruined like Admah,
    devastated like luckless Zeboim?
I can’t bear to even think such thoughts.
    My insides churn in protest.
And so I’m not going to act on my anger.
    I’m not going to destroy Ephraim.
And why? Because I am God and not a human.
    I’m The Holy One and I’m here—in your very midst.(The Message)
Yesterday's Exodus passage affirmed that God chose Israel. In today's passage, we're reminded that, sadly, Israel didn't always choose God. At times the relationship was woefully one-sided. More often than not—especially during times of trouble—distractions, temptations and even despair led the people astray. Perhaps the same has been true for your own relationship with God.
Yet God's love never falters, reassures the prophet. How can this be? If you're a parent you might understand. When your child is disappointing, or even willfully disobedient, the underlying commitment remains. Whether a parent or not, a broken heart is the price we sometimes pay for unconditional love.
In our relationship with God, we see God's unconditional love poured out most clearly through the cross. Yet God does not stop there. Like the Israelites, God feeds us at the communion table. God shares our burdens. God reaches out with arms of love to welcome us home.
When we stray, merciful God, draw us back to you. Thank you for choosing to love us and for never letting us go. Amen.
Shelley Cunningham
Pastor, Zumbro Lutheran Church
Rochester, Minn. 
Master of Divinity , 1998
Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
2 The more I called them, the more they went from me; they kept sacrificing to the Baals, and offering incense to idols.
3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them up in my arms; but they did not know that I healed them.
4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love. I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them.(New Revised Standard Version)
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