When they had pasture, they were filled. They were filled and their heart was exalted. Therefore they forgot Me. (Hosea 13:6)
God is speaking in Hosea 13 and relating how Israel drifted away from Him. Verse 6 summarizes what happened:
- They had pasture. A shepherding picture is used. Israel, as sheep, were blessed by their Shepherd, God, and given a lush land in which to eat and rest.
- They were filled. Israel enjoyed the blessings of the land and of God’s provision.
- Their hearts were exalted. Over time, instead of thanking God for His provision, they began to think they were the ones who obtained their blessings.
- They forgot God. Their pride led immediately to a forsaking and forgetting of the Lord.
I wondered this morning how often this pattern has been repeated down through history. God blesses. Man enjoys His blessings. Then man begins to think that he is the one who obtained the blessings by his own merit and work. And finally God is forsaken and forgotten.
Deuteronomy 8:10-18 elaborates on this same process. Read these verses and consider your own life…
When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. …You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
Lord, help me not to forget You in the midst of the blessings that I enjoy every day!