“I cared for you in the desert, in the land of burning heat. When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.” (Hosea 13:5-6)

Reading Hosea 13 reminded me of a sermon I heard not long ago. The speaker mentioned that many times people desperately cry out to the Lord for something such as a job, for physical healing from an ailment, for a baby when they’re having trouble getting pregnant, for a spouse when they’re having trouble finding one, etc.

But after the Lord hears their cries and blesses them with that very thing they are praying for, these people quickly thank God, take the blessing, run with it, and then forgot about God. And what’s worse, often times the very thing they were praying for ends up being an idol that draws them further away from the Lord, rather than drawing them closer to Him. (more…)