Hosea 11:3-4 “It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize
it was I who healed them.
I led them with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love;
I lifted the yoke from their neck
and bent down to feed them.”

Once again we are back to the fact that we recognize so little of what God does for us. We tend to think of God as though he were like Eliza Dolittle’s father in My Fair Lady: “I gave her the gift of life, and then I gave her the whole city of London to wander around in.” In other words, he fathered her biologically, and then had essentially nothing more to do with her. Nothing could be further from the truth. The picture in Hosea is of a doting Father teaching His child to walk, removing hindrances and feeding him his food. That’s the God who created us and loves us as His children, but we recognize Him all too seldom. We cannot receive but a fraction of all that God wants to give us unless we do see Him as He is and open our hearts to Him in loving obedience.

This is of course the message that I bring to the Japanese who know virtually nothing about God. A few years ago the Guinness Book of World Records listed the Japanese as the ethnic group with the highest average IQ, but human intelligence alone will not lead you to God; it takes revelation from Him. Likewise, human intelligence and persuasive skills alone will not lead anyone to a genuine encounter with God; it takes the work of the Holy Spirit. I’ve got to both teach and model the love of God, not excusing sin and rebellion but communicating God’s incredible plan of redemption through the cross of Christ. Just as God has been gentle with me, I can expect Him to be gentle with others, and I must keep myself available to Him as His instrument for their salvation and growth.

Father, at times I am overwhelmed by the depth and breadth of ignorance of You that I see around me. Help me never give up, but keep myself available to You and expect You to use me to open people’s eyes and lead them out of their prisons of ignorance, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!