Lo-Ruhamah

Lo-Ruhamah was the second child of Gomer, the adulterous wife of Hosea. Her name sent a message, "I will no longer show love to the house of Israel, that I should at all forgive them."

First God caused Gomer to become naked and bare, then stripped her vines, wine and oil because she hadn't acknowledged Him as the source of her provision and was pursuing other "lovers."

But then He turns like a dime in anguish and decides to allure her into the desert to speak tenderly to her. There she will get her vineyards back and come back to the true lover of her soul. Then after all she goes through in the desert and as she is forced to quit running, He makes her valley of trouble a door of hope for her future and for others who hear her story. By the end of the story the "Lo" has been dropped from the name of Ruhamah, which now meant I will again show love and compassion to this people. "Lo-Ruhamah was one who had been pitied but obtained mercy."

Have you ever been through so much and your circumstances look so bad that people have pitied you? Our God is a merciful God-I only have to remind myself of this story and know I'm about to obtain mercy and claim that I am being restored and betrothed in faithfulness.

Redemptive Pattern

God is a redemptive God. He wants to use our mistakes and hardships. In fact He plans to use every pain for gain and a redeeming lesson for another. Keep in mind we aren't just going through something for our own benefit and lesson but for many others that are "traveling" our way and need our lifesaving advice and comfort. So when we feel the sentence of death in our hearts, remember it is only to help us not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. (2 Cor. 1:9)

We are all preparing the way for Him to come more powerfully in our own lives and those we touch. We must believe that our boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places despite our discomfort and that surely we have a delightful inheritance! (Ps. 16:6)

When Christ is Lifted Up

I can remember taking one last bathroom trip before going into my Bible study at church. I checked the mirror and looked fine and walked into class, excited to share my insights and hoping to make some new friends. The leader announced that we would be discussing John 12:32. I flipped to the passage and read, "But I, if I be lifted up...will draw all men to Myself." I assumed Christ was speaking of the type of death he would experience up on a cross and that his death and resurrection would draw men to Him.

However, I saw an additional meaning in that when we lift up Christ and glorify Him, people are drawn to the "Him" in us. So Christ is our hope of glory then, not us, of course. I went on to read I Cor. 2:4 where Paul did not preach with excellency of speech to impress people because it might veil the power of God. He knew that anything that flattered or drew attention to him might steal from the full impact of the gospel doing its work.

I learned a lot that day years ago. My focus changed from self-consciousness to God-c0nsciousness. I never saw self-consciousness as bad before but as shy and insecure. The key was in the word: self-conciousness: conscious of self! Since I loved to make friends, I was trying to attract some with my clever answers.

My focus and prayer then became: "Let your life be lifted up, Lord, and let me know what answer, if any, to share. Let me know who needs an encouraging word, a listening ear, and let you get all the glory!"

When friends are drawn to our path through Christ, it is for the purpose of giving out some part of Him they may need from us and then releasing them again. We never keep or "possess" their friendship, simply get back on the path to the Lord's next assignment for us. We are to point others to Christ and then disappear into hiddenness. Abraham became God's friend and was to put nothing before Him.