Hosea 11:4

Drawn unto God

"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." (Hosea 11:4)

The Lord has drawn us to Him, we did not find Him, but He found us. He drew us with "bands of love" which were the blessings He has bestowed upon us, and met our needs so that we were drawn to look toward Him as the provider and protector of our souls. We are in dire straits when we forget from whence our blessings come. He has taught us this in several places in the Bible, but the most common verse is probably 1 Jn. 4:19, "We love him, because he first loved us." It is our recognition of, and dependence on, Him that drew us to Him. Did not He have something to offer you while you were yet in your sin? Yes, We were all drawn to Him because of His love for us, and the manifestation of that love unto us. No man comes to Christ, except the Father draw him…(Jn. 6:44), so God is still in the business of drawing us unto Him. He laid meat unto us, and many, many other things, and we were wooed and courted by Him, until we accepted His proposal, and became one with Him. Glory! Though many are drawn, few will come. This is the unfortunate side of love. His Word will not return unto Him void, and neither will His love, there will always be some sort of response. God will not pervade upon a mans will, so the response may be negative, as was the case in our text, but God has still drawn all men unto Him. Oh the pain of loving someone with an intense, pure love, and realizing that they do not love you back! We get a very slight glimpse of the love of God, and the heartbreak that may accompany it. God had given them many things, and many chances to respond to His love, but Judah chose to spurn His blessings until they were knee-deep in trouble! 

He was freedom unto them, and they knew it not. He had removed their yoke of servitude, and broken their bonds, so to speak, but they still did not regard His Law. God has given us so much, we could hardly remember it all, and yet we stray away as a backsliding heifer. Just out of appreciation for what He has done for us, and given unto us, we ought to serve Him; if for no other reason, we have reason enough in this. Follow the cords of His drawing, and let Him lead you to a more abundant life in Him. Thank God for His unspeakable gifts.

--Marty Dunn

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