“No [woman], for any considerable period of time, can wear one face to [herself] and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the truth.” –Nathaniel Hawthorne
Well hello my lovelies!
…it’s been some time. How are you??
Today’s church sermon was based off Hosea chapter 2. I was
inspired and filled with so many emotions as I let God speak to my heart. I had
been anticipating a new blog post but have been hesitating on it for whatever reason(s)...
“I’m going to take forever and a day to write something that has not yet been
given meaning or purpose to me.” (what most likely went on in my head). It’s
funny because something is sparked in my soul and it’s not until quite some
time that I get it out of my mind and out on …document? (LOL) My blog posts are
usually developed in the same way, every single time:
1. emotional experience
2. same lingering emotions from the experience
3. “hm, I haven’t written a blog post in a while”
4. days..weeks...months later. “okay Kalynn, it’s been swept
under the rug and/or hasn’t been dealt with 100%
5. Boom! Inspiration. God will use people, books, songs,
church sermons, rain, Windex and Swiffers... you get the picture. (ha ha)
6. and finally, the enjoyment: Coffee and Microsoft Word.
*Hours of reflection and praising God*
Without further ado, I’d like to keep this very short and
simple, yet sweet!
Hosea 2 is a parable of God’s relationship with His people
(us) by using marriage as an analogy, and I’m sure we can all attest to the
conviction felt, or to put into better words…the overcoming feeling of sadness
because we know we’ve hurt God. Verse 13 makes me wail up. “…but me she forgot,
declares the Lord.” Pastor said “what is the one thing that hurts God the most?
…It’s that we have forgotten Him.” Wow, it’s that simple! His love for us is
written every where in His word, and exemplified in our daily lives in this
creation He has given us, yet we forget our part in the relationship sometimes.
We check out.
I believe it’s best I’m blunt here: the cause of deterring
away from God (forget the levels or distance, or cause or reason) we turn,
simply to find a quick means of “provision, protection, and pleasure.” – The 3
P’s Pastor used and I feel it’s true. Think about it… We have this thing called
ego and our flesh feels we need to have it fed in order to thrive. So what do
we do? We turn to things we know we are good at, where we know we will succeed
and are praised. I’ll name this sin:
“wordly” And it is only pleasurable for some time. Eventually that season dries
up and we come to a road block and hopefully we choose to meet God there. My
prayer is that our consciouses are not callused and we see our sin for what it
is. He’s been in the passenger seat the entire time, just waiting for us to
give Him the wheel. God will remove material pleasures from our path (v.6-13)
and the “blessings” will be blocked.
“For the Lord
disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives…For the
moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later yields the
peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” –Hebrew 12:6&11
He does this because He LOVES US! He is the ultimate
provider and protector and when we seek Him we find pleasure! All of our needs our
met by God if we just trust Him.
**This sneak peak/preview/introduction is short, simple and
hopefully sweet ..I told you it would be! I just failed to mention there would
be a part 2!**
I’d like to dive deeper, but the caffeine crash is upon me
and anything beyond would probably come out not making any lick of sense, so
bare with me. (as you so lovingly do <3 <3)
Until caffeinated...
much love, me.
“In his heart a man
plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” –Proverbs 16:9
“I will betroth you to
me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and
compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the
Lord …I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’ I will say to
those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say ‘You are
my God.’”-Hosea 2:19,20,23
“For you created my
inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I
am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. I know that full well.”
There’s something to that word “know” that will banish the
“false self”…
