Hosea 11:4: “I drew them with gentle cords, / With bands of love, / And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. / I stooped and fed them.”

November 3rd, 2021 by Pastor Ed in devotional

This verse is a stirring picture of Father God teaching His children to walk with Him, in much the same way that a human parent might support their own toddler as they learn to walk. God is clearly saying that He will spare no effort or expense to teach His children to walk in the only safe path of life. It is only because of God’s love, the Father heart of God, that we can be saved and have eternal life.

There is a small Southern California garden spider that builds its nest between the branches of a bush and then deposits its eggs, attaching a silky strand to each one, in the center of the nest. When each egg hatches, the mother attaches another thread to the babies, called spiderites. Then, if the nest is disturbed in any way and the little spiders try to rush out, these strands, which are connected to the body of the mother, warn her of the potential danger to her babies. She quickly pulls them back into the nest to protect them from injury. Hosea writes that we are linked to God with cords of love, strong cords that cannot be broken. When the enemy attacks and we are tempted to flee, He quickly draws us back to Himself to protect us from harm.

“LORD, we rejoice in Your bond of love that keeps us tied firmly to You. Hold us today, LORD, we ask in Jesus’ name.”