Pastor Terry continued to teach from the book of Hosea on Sunday. Many points hit me, but this one in particular struck me as I had my devotions this morning.
In Hosea chapter 2, we read that Gomer (Hosea’s wife) did not give Hosea credit for the things that she had. Although it all had come from him, she not only failed to realize that, she shared it all with her other lover.
She doesn’t realize it was I who gave her everything she has— the grain, the new wine, the olive oil; I even gave her silver and gold. But she gave all my gifts to Baal. – Hosea 2:8 (NLT)
How many times do I fail to recognize that everything I have and everything that I am…everything…comes from God.
But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me. – 1 Corinthians 15:10a (NLT)
So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. – James 1:16-18 (NLT)
Everything! My salvation, my wife, my kids, my parents, my friends, my job, my health, my “stuff”. All of it. I can take credit for 0% of it…God provided it all!
But as hard as it is to give God the credit for the gifts I really like, it is even harder to thank Him for the ones I honestly don’t care much for. I mean, some of His gifts don’t work out the way I’d like them to. Some of them aren’t quite as shiny and new as I wish they were.
Will I be satisfied and truly thankful for what is “good” and not just what is “perfect”?
Will I give God the credit for every gift He gives?
That is my prayer this morning!
