Beyond the Morning Mist

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6


Reading through the whole chapter of Hosea we see where they are talking about Israel’s un-repentance. God had a whole list of things they were doing wrong to demonstrate their un-repentant hearts. God accused them of having a love like the morning mist or early dew that disappears. Wow, it must have been pretty weak, shallow, and temporary for Him to say that.


Later God goes on to say what He did in today’s verse, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” Too often we make the mistake of thinking if we sacrifice something like an hour of our time on Sunday, or a $20 bill in the offering tray, or allowing someone to cut in line at the grocery store that we have it made in our standing with God.


Boy, do we have it wrong. God says here He would rather have mercy and us acknowledging Him instead of other things we label “a sacrifice.” Sad part about the whole thing is the fact that we are cheating ourselves out of something that is tremendous. When we do that we not only have kind of love God describes but a relationship with Him too that disappears as quickly as the morning mist does.


Frequently you hear people say, “Well I pray to God.” “I read my Bible” and that is as far as it goes. Wham bang out with the morning mist. Acknowledging God and having that relationship with Him that can go beyond the morning mist is awesome. We have our responsibility to make it happen. We can’t sign up for it, the waters of baptism doesn’t wash it into our lungs and spirit. It’s a daily choice we need to make. A choice to choose God over the things we think makes us “look like we chose God” when really we haven’t.


We need to stop cheating ourselves out of something spectacular. Did I mention that before? Well it’s the truth. Don’t settle for the morning mist when you can have so much more with the Lord. Such as a full day, a full life, one that will take you further into a full eternity with Him. It begins with acknowledgement and it ends, well it will never end Praise the Lord!

© 2011 Karen J Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing