Coffee With The Lord

Solomon had it right!  “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm!”  (Proverbs 13:20 ESV)

The people we choose to “hang out with” – our close companions – really matter!  They influence us greatly!  We need to choose them wisely!

WOW! What God is able to do in the lives of the unfaithful and apostate – the backslider who has abandoned faith, godly living, and God’s love!

I read about it this morning in Hosea’s prophecy during my time of “coffee with the Lord” … And “WOW” IS ABOUT ALL I HAVE TO SAY!

In the inspired words of Hosea, God’s chosen people, Israel is described as a “prostitute” – No, worse than that… they are like a “spiritual slut!” (they gave themselves to sin, idolatry and evil without asking anything in return!) In fact, they actually sensually solicited sin and those who promoted it! The Lord’s command for Hosea to marry a prostitute (“Gomer,” have children by her, experience her unfaithfulness… and then receive her back in love illustrates God’s message.

God speaks through his prophet in Hosea 2:19-23 and says, “I will betroth you to Me forever! I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, and in steadfast love and in mercy! I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness! AND YOU SHALL KNOW THE LORD! … I will have mercy on “No Mercy,” and I will say to “Not My People,” ‘ You are My people!’ ; and He shall say, ‘You are my God!”

Now the “Prodigal Story” in the New Testament (Luke 15:11-32) is a wonderful story of God’s love, mercy and grace! But I’d have to say this account in Hosea rivals – or even surpasses it!

If your personal story is similar to Hosea’s description – or if you have a family member or friend who has turned their back on God and plunged deeply into sin – THERE IS HOPE! Jesus declared it, “Whoever comes to me I will NOT cast out!” (John 6:37) And 1 John 1:9 assures us, if we confess [acknowledge] our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness!” … One more time – WOW!!!

PEOPLE CAN AND WILL DISAPPOINT YOU – even those we call “friends” can fail us. Paul said, “At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them.” He expected support, companionship, encouragement, and even testimony on his behalf … he stood alone, they all forsook him.

In one of his lowest moments – a time of extreme disappointment and loneliness… THE LORD WAS FAITHFUL!  He continued… “But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.” Everything that people failed to provide the Lord supplied – where friends failed him, God fulfilled him!

AND MORE… GOD RESCUED HIM!! “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom! To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen!! (2 Timothy 4.16-18)

From feelings of abandonment to renewed confidence because of the faithfulness of God! Lord help me remember Paul’s testimony of Your faithfulness in my lowest moments and depend on You to replicate his experience in Your own way in my circumstances!