“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from your slavery in Egypt. You have no God but me, for there is no other savior. I took care of you in the wilderness, in that dry and thirsty land. But when you had eaten and were satisfied, then you became proud and forgot me.“— Hosea 13: 4-6, NLT
Is this the story of your life?
The Lord rescued us from slavery and set us free. It breaks His heart to see us slip back into bondage to things that will harm our lives and hurt those we love. Prideful sin drags us into pain and suffering, and the enemy is only happy to help.
But God sees your misery, hears your crying, and cares about your suffering.
His desire is to free you. Whatever has enslaved you—drug addiction, cigarettes, pornography, food, alcohol, sexual sin, adultery, anxiety, depression, or a hardened heart—Jesus came down from heaven to free you from the bondage that controls your life.
God was with you in the wilderness when you felt alone, lost, and afraid.
His complaint against the children of Israel was not their human frailties or weaknesses. He can deal with that. It’s that they became proud and forgot. They forgot who rescued them, who loved them, who set them on the right path. Because they forgot, they fell into sin, and the cycle started over again.
The cycle is broken with one moment of surrender, of swallowed pride, and abandoning oneself to the love of God. He never turns away a repentant sinner. He never fails to welcome home a prodigal son, daughter, or nation. He puts people in our lives who love us and can help.
All He asks is that we will remember.
“And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ’This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’” —Luke 22:19-20
