How can I?

 “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Zeboiim? My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred. Hosea 11:8

How can these questions not melt the frozen heart, not break the stony heart? These questions of God express His amazing mercy, His willingness to forgive, His reluctance to punish. He does not want to abandon His people, even though they do not deserve His forgiveness, His mercy.

When He says: " How can I give you up?" my heart’s response should be. "How can I leave You?" When He says: " My heart churns within Me;", my heart should say. "How can I grieve Your heart with my sins?" When He says. " My sympathy is stirred ", my heart should say. "How can I be ungrateful, and not appreciate Your great lovingkindness?"

These questions of God cause in us repentance, thankfulness, and hatred for our own sins.

From my diary,

January 19, 2023