Daily Devotional for Tuesday, July 14

Israel’s Idolatry

“They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field,” Hosea 10:4.
Have you ever entered into a contract with someone or some institution? If you have ever charged on a credit card or have gotten a loan for a house or a car, then you have entered into a contract with a lending institution, thus you have made a covenant with them that you will repay your loan under the stipulations of the contract. A lot of people have buyers remorse after making an ill-advised purchase and want to return the car or back out of the deal on the house. While there may be provisions in their contract as to how that may happen, there is generally a clause stating that there is not a cooling-off period or changing of your mind once you signed the contract. If you do not perform according to the contract, then judgment will be brought against you.
The Lord has been making covenants with His people throughout history. One of the main stipulations in His covenants, “But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you” (Jeremiah 7:23). When Israel would break the covenant, it would not go well with them. Essentially, they were their own worst enemy by breaking their covenant with the Lord because judgment would be brought against them. But the Lord has always sought to reinstate His covenants if His people would return and perform their part of the agreement then they would see God perform His part in blessing and protecting them (Malachi 3:6-12).

REFLECTION
It is time to realize our mistakes and return to the Lord; “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25).

Tim Chambers