STAY WITH THE LORD
Most of you have heard and probably said these words, “Quitters never win and winners never quit”. This quote can be summed up with words like persistence, perseverance, endurance, and steadfastness. That sense of hanging in there despite the challenges and obstacles is required and mandatory if you are going to press through and follow your dreams and achieve your goals.
There are many who remained determined to “stay with it”. Their determination was stronger than their obstacles. For example, Henry Ford tried other business and failed miserably and even went bankrupt five times. However, he stayed with it, establishing the Ford Motor Company that eventually took off. Another example is the celebrated Walt Disney. He was fired by the Kansas City Star because his cartoons were not creative enough. Disney did not allow this to push him from his dream. He stayed with it, creating a cartoon universe and a global company.
The list goes on and on of those who persevered, overcame, and stayed with it despite the challenges. They were determined to stay with it, and they did. If being determined to stay with it works for vehicles, cartoon characters, and amusement parks, I know this attitude and determination will work for us spiritually. That is, we must be determined to stay with the Lord! Actually, there is an indirect call for the Lord’s people to stay with Him in Hosea 13:4-6. It reads:
Hosea 13:4-6 (English Standard Version)
4 But I am the Lord your God
from the land of Egypt;
you know no God but me,
and besides me there is no savior.
5 It was I who knew you in the wilderness,
in the land of drought;
6 but when they had grazed, they became full,
they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;
therefore they forgot me. [1]
The prophet Hosea’s ministry focused on the northern kingdom, called Israel. Remember, after King Solomon’s death, the once united-kingdom Israel splits into two separate distinct nations. The northern kingdom with ten tribes retained the name Israel and the southern kingdom with two tribes became Judah. Hosea was the last prophet sent by God to the northern kingdom. They had become spiritually decayed. That is, Israel had forsaken the Lord to worship idols. The Lord used this prophet in a most unique way to call attention to Israel’s unfaithfulness and spiritual drifting, their spiritual failure. Specifically, God instructed Hosea to marry a wife of whoredom. Just as Gomer, Hosea’s wife, was unfaithful to him, Israel was unfaithful to God. Hosea kept trying to redeem, restore, and bring Gomer back to him. This is the same thing the Lord did with Israel. He also does this with us. He wants us to have a close, devoted, real and growing relationship with Him, faithful to Him. Gomer needed to stay with Hosea, and we need to stay with the Lord. Through the Prophet Hosea, the Lord speaks to Israel, calling her to stay with Him. He gives four reasons for their need to stay with Him. These reasons are still valid for us today. We need to stay with the Lord for these same reasons.
The first reason to stay with the Lord is because the Lord brought you out. You know He did it. Maybe you are not where you want to be or even where you should be spiritually, but you know that you are not where you use to be. It was the Lord who brought you out! This is found in Hosea 13:4a and reads as follows:
Hosea 13:4a
But I am the Lord your God
from the land of Egypt;
you know no God but me. . .[2]
For Israel, Egypt was a place of suffering, sorrow, and bondage. This sounds a lot like sin. The worse thing about sin is our helplessness to overcome it on our own. That is, just as Israel was not able to deliver themselves from Egypt, we are not able to deliver ourselves from sin. However, the Lord delivered them from Egypt, and it is the Lord who delivers us from sin’s power and penalty. So, stay with the Lord because He brought you out and rescued us from the domination and consequences of sin.
The second reason to stay with the Lord is because He is our Savior. This reason is also in verse four:
Hosea 13:4
4 But I am the Lord your God
from the land of Egypt;
you know no God but me,
and besides me there is no savior. [3]
The savior is the one who delivers others from pain, suffering, and hardship. He is the one who delivers and rescues, causing us to be safe. Nobody is able to save us like the Lord can. Notice what David said about the Lord’s saving in Psalms 34:6.
Psalms 34:6
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.[4]
Stay with the Lord because He is your Savior. He is able to save.
The third reason to stay with the Lord is because He is a keeper. He will keep and sustain us. He provides in our difficult seasons. This reason is in verse five.
Hosea 13:5
5 It was I who knew you in the wilderness,
in the land of drought; [5]
While in the wilderness for 40 years, the Lord kept them. The Lord provided water, food, protection, direction, and victory in their worst and darkest season. Even in the dry and difficult places, the Lord keeps us. He preserves, upholds, and sustains us. Notice the Lord’s promise to keep us in Isaiah 41:10.
Isaiah 41:10
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee:
Be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee;
Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.[6]
Stay with the Lord because He kept you, and He is able to keep you.
The fourth reason to stay with the Lord is because He blessed you! You know the Lord has blessed you and has been good to you. This fourth reason to stay with the Lord is in verse six.
Hosea 13:6
6 but when they had grazed, they became full,
they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;
therefore they forgot me. [7]
The Lord’s blessing is in the term full/fill. It means to meet, satisfy, or provide what is needed. God does provide for us. He does take care of our needs. This promise is also found in Philippians 4:19.
Philippians 4:19
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.[8]
Stay with the Lord because He has blessed, is blessing, and will bless you!
I am sure you can think of other reasons to stay with the Lord. For example, He is faithful and patient. Unfortunately, Israel did not stay with the Lord, and it cost them dearly. Staying with the Lord does not produce a stress free or pain free life. However, staying with Him gives us strength, peace, hope, and power we otherwise would not have. We need the Lord and it is in our best interest to stay with Him. Stay with the Lord because He brought you out, He is your Savior, He has kept you, and He blessed you. Again, I say, “Stay with the Lord!”
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ho 13:4–6.
[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ho 13:4.
[3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ho 13:4.
[4] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ps 34:6.
[5] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ho 13:5.
[6] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Is 41:10.
[7] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ho 13:6.
[8] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Php 4:19.
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