Daily Word

Hosea 11 is an incredibly beautiful chapter about God, who has fallen in love with Israel and never ceases to draw it toward Himself “with bands of love,” while Romans 11 reveals how God ultimately wins this dramatic struggle.

Israel represents two things: humanity—turned away from God and rebellious—bent on going its own way; and God’s eternal, unchanging will for salvation.

God never gives up—neither on Israel nor on humanity, both of which are infected by the same spirit of rebellion and disobedience.

For thousands of years, as recorded in the Old Testament, God contended with a disobedient and rebellious Israel—a people who constantly turned their backs on Him to go their own way, and who, in the end, driven by frenzied hatred, crucified their only hope: their own Messiah and Saviour.

All of humanity—you and I included—also played a part in nailing Christ to the cross, for that same rebellion and hatred dwell within our own hearts as well.

God continues to appeal to and call both Israel and all of humanity to Himself. His love is the most powerful force in the entire universe, and in the end, it will conquer our hearts and save us all.

God’s work of salvation does not cease the moment we say "yes" to His call.

He has determined to transform us all into the image of His beloved Son, and He will not waver—not even an inch—from this purpose, regardless of how long it may take to bring it to fruition.

It does not matter how much you or I might doubt that this could ever happen to us, nor does it matter how difficult or resistant we may be. He takes hold of our weak wills with His own all-powerful will to save, and He continues to work on us until we willingly and joyfully cooperate with Him.

Ultimately, we become "blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom we shine as lights in the world," drawing others into this same powerful process of transformation (Phil.2:12–15).

He never gives up!