Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
Hosea 11:4, “I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.”
This love is “handling love.”
It is the way God handles us in our rebellion.
In Hosea 11:2 there is rebellion.
God sent His servants to His people, and the people turned away from them.
They went back to their Baals and they sacrificed.
Do you know what God’s unconditional love does in that state?
He says, “I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them” (11:3).
This describes the tenderness with which the Lord handled His people.
Then He amplifies on how He handled them: “I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love.”
Gentle cords and bands of love are in apposition to one another.
The gentle cords are the bands of love.
In these verses Ephraim is pictured as a stubborn, rebellious heifer.
Usually, stubborn heifers would be handled with thick ropes to control their rebellion.
But God does not do that with us.
He does not throw those heavy ropes over our rebellion and try, so to speak, to force us to the ground, and then draw us like a beast.
He does not handle us in that way.
Even when we are rebellious, He is so delicate and so gentle.
He draws us with gentle cords – cords of a man, not cords of a beast.
Using thin, gentle cords, He tugs slightly and draws until our rebellion begins to be subdued.
Until Tomorrow
With A Shepherd’s Love,
Pastor Jackson
FRIDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
John McCain -Hospice
Marlon Cook
Amy Garner
Amy Garner’s Mom & Dad
Andrew Halevi & Daughter
Ashely Burn’s Sisters
Brandon’s Dad
Coly/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Dan Haines
Darlene Wiggins
David Burnette
David Harrison – Riverside
Deanna Fowler
Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother
Donnie Butler’s Dad
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Easton Fielder
Ed Mays
Eric Ward
Freddie May’s Mom
George & Linda Alexander
James Burnette
James Garner’s Friend
Joanie/Jeanie Mom
Jodi Bateman
Joe Shelnutt
John Austin
June Cronan
June Cronan’s Sister
Kailey Bateman
Kathy Mabe
Kim McClain’s Mother
Krista Hilscher – Improving
Larry Barker
Lee Cronan
Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Linda Hodges’ Sister
Lonzo Christin
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary Sims
Marynell Ford
Maureen Brown
Michael Stanley
Miles Bradshaw
Pastor & Mrs. Driskell
Pat Chupp
Ricky Gipson
Rose Fuller – Rehab
Roseleigh Osborn
Sandra Graham
Scott Lanier
Soso Nzolo – 17 Yr. Old South African Pastor’s Daughter
Susan & Alexis Tesone
Tom Witcher