Corona Devo 3059

God loves us! 

~~~

Did we ever get a spanking as a child? 

I think (hope) the correct answer is--only when we deserved it.  

To teach a child boundaries, right from wrong, authority, and consequences-to-poor-choices: discipline is a Biblical method of love that God the Father teaches and models for us throughout Scripture.  

God loves us, and He reveals this in many ways, and sometimes, it's through a (proverbial or physical) spanking.

And sometimes...it is through a big bear hug of mercy. 

Let the Lord envelop us today with His word and His love, and His mercy.  No spiritual spankings today, just Heavenly arms spread wide-open for us, God's children.

God loves us, and he is fully aware of our shortcomings before Him, but his love, compassion, and mercy supersede our sin: He will never give up on us.

“Oh, how can I give you up, Israel?  How can I let you go?  ~Hosea 11:8

Our Lord's hope and patience for our love-of-Him is always open.  Inviting. 
He's just waiting for us to come back to Him today.  To love Him today.  To be enveloped in his big, loving arms today.  

We deserve discipline for the ways we've turned from the Lord, but unlike a mortal who keeps tabs, God is willing to forgive and forget today: if we will just return to Him.  
His compassion overflows.  
Let God love you today.

How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim?  

My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows.  

(9) No, I will not unleash my fierce anger.  I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal.   

I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy.  ~Hosea 11:8b-9

The Lord lingers in His love and hope of our love for Him.  The world and it's fleshly, earthly pleasures and idols distract us.  ...And they ruin us.

But the Lord is patient, and He is merciful today. 
God loves us!  
He desires for us to return to Him someday.  Only we can decide if that day is today.

Let God love us today.
Love God today.
Come home again to God today.
For someday the people will follow me.   
I, the Lord, will roar like a lion.  And when I roar, my people will return trembling from the west. 
(11) Like a flock of birds, they will come from Egypt.  
Trembling like doves, they will return from Assyria.  
And I will bring them home again,” says the Lord.  ~Hosea 11:10-11

The Lord wants us to come home to Him today.  

It is alright if we are afraid...He welcomes us. 
It is okay if we feel guilty...we are.  
But it is necessary that we realize that He is the King of Mercy, and that He extends it to us today.  Let's let Him.  God really loves us.

“Oh, how can I give you up, Israel?  How can I let you go?... My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows.  

(9) No, I will not unleash my fierce anger.  I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal.   

I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy. 

(10) For someday the people will follow me.  

I, the Lord, will roar like a lion.  And when I roar, my people will return trembling from the west. (11) Like a flock of birds, they will come from Egypt.  Trembling like doves, they will return from Assyria.  And I will bring them home again,” says the Lord.  ~Hosea 11:8-11


We might deserve the spanking today, but God uses the method of mercy to melt our hardened heart today.

To teach His children true love, compassion, forgiveness and to teach us about Himself: mercy is a Biblical method of love that God the Father teaches and models for us throughout Scripture.  

He won't give up on us, or give us up. 
Even now, His Word calls to us.  
God loves us!  Let Him today.



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