“When Israel was only a child, I loved him. I called out, ‘My son!’—called him out of Egypt. But when others called him, he ran off and left me. He worshiped the popular sex gods, he played at religion with toy gods. Still, I stuck with him. I led Ephraim. I rescued him from human bondage, But he never acknowledged my help, never admitted that I was the one pulling his wagon, That I lifted him, like a baby, to my cheek, that I bent down to feed him. Now he wants to go back to Egypt or go over to Assyria— anything but return to me! That’s why his cities are unsafe—the murder rate skyrockets and every plan to improve things falls to pieces. My people are hell-bent on leaving me. They pray to god Baal for help. He doesn’t lift a finger to help them. But how can I give up on you, Ephraim? How can I turn you loose, Israel? How can I leave you to be ruined like Admah, devastated like luckless Zeboim? I can’t bear to even think such thoughts. My insides churn in protest. And so I’m not going to act on my anger. I’m not going to destroy Ephraim. And why? Because I am God and not a human. I’m The Holy One and I’m here—in your very midst.
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5 Days
The birth of Jesus was prophesied throughout the Old Testament. His coming was foretold and the anticipation of the Messiah was growing until finally the time came and Jesus was born. This Christmas, let this devotion stir your faith and prepare you to believe God at His word and see your promises fulfilled by our incredibly loving and faithful God.
6 Days
God prepared the world for Jesus the Messiah right from the very beginning. He made sure His world knew ahead of time that the Messiah was coming. This is 2 of 3 devotionals that give the prophetic pronouncements of the Messiah – and how they were fulfilled. This devotional shows the prophecies of the events leading up to and those surrounding His birth.
God loves Israel. You can find proof throughout the entire Bible. He chose Israel and set them apart to be His own people. The Bible uses various metaphors to describe this love: God calls Israel His firstborn son, and through the prophets, He also calls Israel His bride. In this reading plan, we invite you to join us as we dive deeper into God’s love for Israel.
7 Days
“God loves us and will search for us when we are relationally lost from Him. When we return to God’s love, all heaven rejoices. We are found, forgiven and loved. That is redemption.” (The Redemption Story – Kath Henry). If you feel far from God, meditate on these devotions and let them open your heart to God’s saving grace and His heart for the lost.
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