Hosea Chapter 13. When I feel Satisfied, do I give God glory or do I take the glory?
Once again God's anger is expressed against Israel for their pride and rebellion against Him. At one time God took care of their every needs resulting into satisfaction. The satisfaction should have resulted into praise and glory to God, but instead it resulted into pride and rebellion against the Lord. It should have resulted into the realization that they can't survive without the Lord, but instead resulted into Israel feeling they have the power to sustain themselves and God became neglected from their lives.
There are different occasions when we feel a sense of satisfaction:
* Perhaps it's when our financial portfolio looks so good and our future is well prepared for.
* Perhaps it's when we look at all the “cool” stuff we have and have obtained over the years.
* Perhaps it's a new purchase of something that we really really like.
* Perhaps that sense of satisfaction occurs when we recognize the wonderful family we have.
* Perhaps it's when we see how well we are able to help others with their needs.
* Perhaps it comes when we are sitting together around a wonderful meal with our family.
* Perhaps that feeling of satisfaction comes as we reflect on our gifts and abilities.
Now what? Now what do we do? Now what do we do with that feeling of satisfaction that comes upon us? One of two things can happen:
1. It can result into us praising our Lord because we are humbled before our God. We recognize that without him we are nothing. Or
2. Our sense of satisfaction can result into pride and we begin to feel that such satisfaction comes as a result of our power and control versus God's power and control. We begin to take all the credit as if to say “look at me” or “look at what I've done”.
When satisfaction comes, we get a choice:
1. Draw the attention to the Lord giving him praise and glory, or
2. Draw the attention from others to ourselves so we get the glory.
Which do you do?