2 But the more I called to him, the farther he moved from me,
offering sacrifices to the images of Baal and burning incense to idols.
3 I myself taught Israel how to walk, leading him along by the hand.
But he doesn't know or even care that it was I who took care of him.
4 I led Israel along with my ropes of kindness and love.
I lifted the yoke from his neck, and I myself stooped to feed him.
I find great comfort in the patience and compassion of God with His people Israel. He loved them and was so patient with them. God says He sent them rope of kindness and love. What an image of a people who have put themselves in a pit because of their own rebellion and their own selfishness. Totally trapped and confined in a pit of their own making. God could have easily left them in the pit, but instead God lowers a rope to rescue them.
I know I have put myself in many pits of my own making and my own selfishness. I have found myself in places I never wanted to be, in messes of my own making. I have often found the rope of kindness from the Lord and He is able to raise me up from my pit. I have also found myself in the pit of other peoples decisions. Living through difficult days because of the choices of other people. Those pits may seem even deeper than the ones we dig for ourselves. But even then, Jesus sends his rope of rescue and pulls us out of the pit and sets us on solid ground.
God, through Jesus, has stooped down to lighten our load and to feed us when we are hungry. Are you in a pit of loneliness, depression, toxic anger, bitterness, jealousy, unforgiveness, rebellion, selfish habits, etc.? Reach for the rope!
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