SEEKING APPROVAL

FROM THE CRADLE TO THE GRAVE WE ARE TAUGHT BY EMOTION TO SEEK APPROVAL. We learn that approval has conditions. To bow to obedience and praise, brings a feeling of well being and when we have a good experience we want that feeling again and strive to repeat it. On the other hand to practice disobedience and punishment brings us pain and a feeling of worthlessness that we may carry as a cross that hinders us our entire life. It brings death of spirit and a coldness of the heart that can short change the destiny God had planned for us. So as we grow we learn approval has life giving rewards. It starts with our parents, then in the school system, in our relationships with friends, family, church and on to our spouses. You have heard the old expression if mama ain't happy no body is happy so we learn to please mama. Finally as we mature in the WORD we realize it is better to please God than man. It is His approval we seek. When God has spoken to us sometimes He tells us to do strange things that man may disapprove and say it isn't from God at all. Let me give you an example. God said to His prophet Hosea go and get yourself a harlot and marry her. Can you imagine your pastor standing up in the pulpit and announcing God told you to go marry a whore? The church would send that man packing or try to cast the devil out of him. I myself would doubt that that was God speaking. Can you even imagine the faith it took to do what God said even though your congregation disapproved and wanted to run you out of town. Hosea knew the voice of God and obeyed God rather than man. God gives us the free will of obedience. Hosea could have said nice religious stuff to his flock and won the approval of his people but He chose God. Hosea's harlot wife betrayed him, her first child was the seed of another man. She kept running off to her old life and Hosea would restore her and love her. The last time she ran away she was sold into slavery. The next time Hosea saw her was when she was dirty, naked and auctioned off on a slave block. He paid the price for her took her home, cleaned her up, clothed her and comforted her with his never ending love for her. God used Hosea's life as a living testimony as an example of the church. God church is His well loved bride. She betrayed Him and went awhoring after other Gods. She bore Him illigitiment children and sold herself into slavery. God found her and He paid the price for her(His Son Jesus). He took her to a safe place and cleaned her up and He clothed her in His glory and honored her and loved her. Divorcing her was not an option, for love suffers all things, endures all things, believes all things, love never fails. I think this is the most beautiful love story in the Bible. I would encourage you to give Hosea another read and discover this amazing love for yourself and seek the approval of God. God Bless, LINDA