Hosea 6:3-4–Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” 4 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away.

One of the most important things that was “hammered” into me mostly from examples in childhood, was being responsible.  Regardless of how you feel about it, do what is required to fulfill your responsibilities was “the message”.

So we have “age appropriately” done the same thing for my kids.  Usually they never feel like doing their chores, so the “threat” is that we will remove every entertainment privilege we possess, until you do them.  Which immediately gets a response!  Starting them early at around age 4, to have some kind of chore has helped curb the idea, “that I do my responsibilities when I feel like it”.  We’re trying to teach them to push beyond how you feel or want to do, to do what needs to be done…

In sentiment, this is the attitude that God wanted Israel and Judah to have, when it came to them forsaking the Lord for their idols.  That though they didn’t feel like giving up their idols, they knew it was right, and their responsibility to be faithful to the Lord.  But to “press on” takes discipline when feelings are not there.  They waited on a feeling, instead of doing what needed to be done to let God restore their heart.  God desires us to have the faith and discipline to repent when we sin, that faithfulness become the foundation of our relationship, not just feelings. (1 John 1:8-9)

“A morning cloud” type of love, as the Lord describes Israel and Judah, is the kind of “love” that doesn’t stay when feelings fade.  What makes a relationship really rooted in love and hard to walk away from, is to stay responsible and steadfast, even when we don’t feel like it.  Because love from God bears and believes all things (1 Corinthians 13:7).  Referring to a responsibility to go deeper, instead of remaining shallow only in our feelings…

In His Love, Ld