Like one who lifts a little child to the cheek

Like one who lifts a little child to the cheek

Scripture: It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them. Hosea 11:3-4

Observation: The passage today gives us a beautiful picture of how God takes care of us. Picture a father holding a toddler by the hands, as the little child takes his first, few unstable steps. Imagine a mother tenderly putting a wet cloth on the forehead of a sleeping child who has a fever. Think of a father carrying his little daughter up to cheek height, the little one squealing with delight from being lifted so high off the ground. See in your mind’s eye a mother stooping to give a bottle of milk to her baby lying in her cot.

All these images give us an idea of how God takes care of us from young, teaching us, showing us love and kindness, delighting in us as parents delight in their children. It is God who created families as they are – the little ones in their cute forms from young and the parents with strength and abilities to take care of little ones. Every time we see a father holding his son’s hand, a mother feeding her young, parents laughing with their children, we see a picture of how God loves us and watches over us and takes care of us. When we delight in little children, we get a glimpse of how our Almighty delights in us. Everything in Him is good, perfect and holy. He has made things as they are according to His perfect wisdom. God created families to help us know Him more. He even uses family terms to introduce Himself to us. Father, Son. In the church we too are as if in a family, calling each other brother, sister.

Like the sleeping, sick child who does not know his mother watches over him and tends him back to full health, God always watches over us, even when we do not know it. As the song goes “Where would I be if you would not be by my side? How could I live to meet the rising of the day, Your tender mercy always calling from behind, at times I could not see, even though You were close by”.

Application: Praise God for His great love to us. Whenever we see families taking care of each other, enjoying each other’s fellowship, praise God and remember that this is God’s way of showing us how He loves us. Thank God that He watches over us even when we do not realize it, and He preserves us even when we are not aware of His presence.

Prayer: Praise You, O Heavenly Father, for Your great perfect love towards us. You introduced families so that we might know You more. Help me love my own family I pray, and help me see that in loving each other, we know You so much more. Thank You for always being with me, even when I did not know. You are so precious to Me, O Lord. May Your name be praised forever. In Jesus name, Amen.